Read today’s texts first: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18,19; Colossians 4
MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Surround yourself with godly people who speak the truth even when you may not want to hear it.
I learned this lesson early on in my ministry and it has served me well: “say no to yes men!” (or “yes women” for that matter). Foursquare polity allows for leaders to lead, but that can be dangerous if we surround ourselves with people who always agree just to be agreeable. Leaders who look for those people are often insecure, arrogant, or, as in Ahab’s case, intractable.
Now on the flipside, I don’t look for disagreeable people, because I like to make decisions with full consensus. Making good group decisions requires servant-hearted leaders who have no personal agenda, care more for the good of others, and can clearly hear from God. Micaiah was just such a man, and Ahab wanted nothing to do with him: Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?” So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!” (22:7,8).
It’s a funny story, if you don’t mind a violent ending - all the “yes men” prophets lining up to encourage the king, the prepping of Micaiah to make sure he doesn’t spoil the roll they’re on, Micaiah’s tongue-in-cheek prophesy, Ahab asking for the real truth, getting it and not liking it, ignoring him and going to war, disguising himself to avoid being a target, then getting shot by a random arrow between the plates of his armour, and, oh yeah, the dogs licking up his blood just like Elijah prophesied (another prophet Ahab hated!).
“Lord, it’s really not that funny when we become so afraid of the truth that we hide from it and from people who speak it. Help me to always surround myself with godly people who will tell me the truth even when I may not want to hear it.”
No comments:
Post a Comment