As I started reading the book of 1 Kings, I must be completely transparent and admit I wasn’t sure the course of “then he was king… then he ruled… then he was king” would be all that enticing. But, as the pages unfolded to tell the lineage of the kings of Israel, and then Judah, what spilled all over the pages was a striking lesson on the incredible impact we have in leaving a legacy for our families.
A quick recap of where it all started(I Kings that is) … It began with David, who was a man after God’s own heart – a phrase we hear all the time. Although not perfect, David led Israel – and members of his family - to love and honor God, and he brought great power to the nation of Israel. His son Solomon was the next to reign, and during the first portion of Solomon’s reign, his “reputation…brought honor to the name of the Lord.” (I Kings 10:1).
Solomon was following in his father’s spiritual footsteps, as David had left him a legacy - a spiritual heritage - to follow. David did what all father’s should try to do for their children – he brought Solomon up to honor and obey the Lord. In fact in chapter 9, verses 4-5, God tells Solomon: “if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did....I will establish the throne of your dynasty forever.”
This confirms that not only was David successful in leaving a legacy of faith and godliness to at least some of his children, but it also confirms that God ultimately blesses those families that serve HIM faithfully.
But the story doesn’t end there. Unfortunately – Solomon got distracted. We all see those “shiny” things that capture our attention, our time, our talents. Temptatations that would pull our attention from Jesus and His love are everywhere, and how easy it is for us to get side-tracked. Solomon did. I Kings 11:2-3 state: “The Lord had clearly instructed his people not to intermarry…because the women they married would lead them to worship their gods. YET Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.” (Emphasis on YET my own).
The key word there is YET. Solomon knew what was right; likewise he knew what was wrong. And he did it anyway. He saw something shiny, something he wanted, something that, at first glance, appeared better, something that was a great temptation to him – and he folded.
This slippery slope, this initial distraction away from God and HIS ways, lead Israel to idol worship, raised up enemies against Solomon, and would ultimately lead to the breakdown of Israel, the death of Solomon, and a new generation of Kings who did evil in the sight of the Lord (to be discussed further in Part 2).
My take away here is a two-fold.
First, David wasn’t perfect. He sinned. But God used him in a might way, and because David was faithful, God planned to use the family of David in a mighty way. As a parent, I’m not perfect. I sin. As my spouse, Joey’s not perfect. He sins. But if we allow God to work in us, and we have a heart for him, as David did, and we establish a legacy for our children, as David did, what blessings will God bestow upon the generations of “Colsons” yet to come from us and our children?
Secondly, Solomon had everything. He had wisdom, he had power, he had wealth, and he had the blessings of God. But he got distracted. Something pulled his attention away from the Lord. And how quickly his legacy changed. I pray that I don’t get distracted – even when it gets hard and I grow weary. I pray that each day I can focus on moving forward, obedient, and strong in my faith so that my legacy doesn’t become tainted, leaving my children spiritually weak and ungrounded.
Of course, a nation isn’t at stake – but my family is.
I guess my challenge for those reading this would be: Are you leaving a strong legacy of faith, grounded in Christ, with a family “reputation…[that brings] honor to the name of the Lord” or are you getting distracted? Your family heritage may depend on it.