It's not so much about what you do, but who you are

I was reading in 2 Chronicles 29-32 this morning and the example of King Hezekiah of Judah blew me away. If you take any time to read through the Old Testament books of 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles, you will see long lists of kings who ruled over both Israel and Judah. And, for the most part, these kings "did evil in the sight of the Lord." There are a few that stand out - Asa, Uzziah, Jotham, etc. - and then there's Hezekiah.

Hezekiah was the son of King Ahaz, a king who did not do what right in the Lord's sight. Ahaz's father was king Jotham whose father was king Uzziah, both of whom served in honor before the Lord. Hezekiah's primary example would been that of his father and Ahaz served as a poor one at that. But Hezekiah chose to break from that example.

2 Chronicles 29:2 says that Hezekiah "Did what was right in the Lord's sight just as his ancestor David had done." The next couple of chapters chronicle the faith of Hezekiah. He led the people to repair the temple of the Lord and to reinstitute regular worship and sacrifice there. Under Hezekiah, Judah came back to celebrating the yearly Passover and when men and women joined him who weren't considered ceremonially clean, Hezekiah interceded on their behalf (2 Chronicles 30:17-20) to God who heard his prayer and honored their worship and sacrifice. He led God's people to go throughout Judah to tear down any idol or altar to false gods and they did so until the last one was gone (2 Chronicles 31:1). Hezekiah cleaned house for God and did his best to lead the people back to the Lord.

So, how was Hezekiah as a political and military leader? All that we're told in 2 Chronicles is that when Assyria came against Judah, Hezekiah prayed to the Lord for deliverance and God wiped out the Assyrian army (see 2 Kings 18-20 for more on Hezekiah). But for the most part, Hezekiah was known as being faithful to God.

Hezekiah didn't seem too concerned what kind of legacy he would leave if it didn't involved how he lived for God. As he cleaned house in order to draw closer to God, it caused me to think of many practical ways that I can do the same in my own personal life. And as he wasn't too concerned about what kind of political legacy he would leave, I am motivated to live more by the standard of being faithful to my Lord than I am of hoping that, after I'm gone, someone remembers a sermon I preached or a program I started.