He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” (2 Chronicles 19:6-7, NIV)
Today’s verse begins with “he.” Who is it? Jehoshaphat, fourth king of Judah after David and Solomon. Never mind if you can’t say his name without practice. For now, just know that he was one of those who would be listed as a good king, one who made strong efforts to serve God and to have his people do the same.
In this passage, Jehoshaphat had extended his influence beyond the walls of Jerusalem and brought the worship of God back to greater stretches of the land. Now he needed to enlist spiritual leaders who would judge rightly among the people. Rightly meant carefully and justly.
If you watch much professional golf, you know how integral rules officials have become. In big championships, there is usually an official assigned to every one or two groups. Even those players who know the Rules of Golf quite well rely significantly on these officials. There are too many eyes watching and there is too much at stake to get tripped up over a detail that could cost a stroke or a disqualification. Everybody wants to get it right.
But what if these officials were biased? What if they made judgments partial to players they like more than others? You know the one-word answer: uproar.
When we see men and women called in Scripture to do righteous things, we should endeavor to add these features and actions to our own characters.
What must happen when it comes to the rules of this or any game—including the game of life in its many arenas—is righteous judgment rendered fairly.
We can run into danger when we read the accounts of Scripture as moral tales, where we take up their themes as men and women who would be “good people,” whether or not we have an interest in Christ. At the same time, God redeems us for goodness (Titus 2:11-14). His Spirit works goodness in us (Galatians 5:22-23). So when we see men and women called in Scripture to do righteous things, we should endeavor to add these features and actions to our own characters.
One of the “five tees” of the LINKS acrostic is I: Integrate Christ’s reign and authority into all of life. Christ is our king and we are his subjects. So just as when Jehoshaphat called his leaders to judge with integrity and they were expected to respond in obedient action, we are to take up the teachings of God’s word and in our obedient response honor him.
Today that call is to unbiased judgment. Treat others fairly, because “you are not judging for mere mortals but for the LORD.”
Tomorrow the call God emphasizes for us may be to giving or purity or hospitality or encouragement. Let’s plan to take up all of these not just because of what they can mean for the mere mortals in our life, but what they can mean for bringing glory to God himself.
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Jeff Hopper
June 1, 2021
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.