The best advice I received when I started in ministry was to do the right thing. Sounds simple but the right thing is rarely the popular thing. The right thing often exposes that which is wrong, and that scares people. Very few people have the guts to do the right thing. They want people to like them, and they want to avoid any conflict, and doing the right thing often causes it. King Josiah decided early in his life to do the right thing.
2 Kings 22:2
He did what was right in the Lord’s sight and walked in all the ways of his ancestor David; he did not turn to the right or the left.”
Start Early
Israel doesn’t have the best history when it comes to their kings. Sure, there are the well-known ones like David and Solomon, but after that, there is a long line of rulers who did evil in the sight of the Lord. When you hear about a kid who did what was right, you take notice. Josiah was a unique king. He started ruling at eight years old, a mere child, but he walked in the way of King David.
Eternal Benefit
Josiah walked in the ways of the Lord all of the days of his life. That is how I want to be known. It is what I have prayed over my children since the day they were born. Our daily walk with Jesus is the most important thing in our life. Even more important than our career or education. Those will benefit us on earth, but our relationship with Jesus will benefit us for eternity. We need to cultivate and nourish that as much, if not more, than everything else.
Do the Right Thing
Stay on the straight and narrow path. To turn to the left of the right means to go off of what is intended. It is to do our own thing and resist the Lord’s leading. While we won’t get everything right in life, determining to be obedient is essential to us staying on the path. We will be tempted with lots of good opportunities, but if they take us away from Jesus, we have veered off the path. Do the right thing.
