2 Chronicles 22:2-3 “Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.”
Dear Kids:
“Don’t trust strangers” is usually a wise motto to live by. When you don’t know a person, they may easily take advantage of you or guide you in a wrong direction. These acquaintances don’t necessarily have your best interest at heart, so it is much smarter to require them to prove themselves and verify advice before making any decisions.
Usually, I would suggest that it is safe to carefully listen to the things Dad and I say because we do care for you and only want you to succeed. We have greater experience and have lived longer than you have, so we are qualified to guide you successfully in most areas. But there are times when you shouldn’t even trust us. While we have tried to teach and model God’s ways for you, we are not perfect. So it is imperative that you go to the Bible yourself and verify that what we are saying is true. In other words, “You can’t always trust your Mama!”
A Mother’s Ungodly Advice
One of the kings of Judah, Ahaziah, began his reign at the age of 22, but it only lasted for one year. Ahaziah was connected with the ungodly family of Ahab, King of Israel, through his mother, Athaliah. She was Ahab’s daughter and a very wicked woman. Ahaziah relied on his mother’s advice along with the wicked men who had advised Ahab. They encouraged him in idol worship, and many other decisions that displeased the Lord. If only someone had told this foolish king, “You can’t always trust your Mama!”
Following the guidance of these unqualified advisors Ahaziah was convinced to ally with Israel in war against the King of Aram. Things turned out badly and God used these unfortunate turns of events to execute judgment on this sinful king. He was murdered while hiding out in a nearby town.
You would think Athaliah would mourn the death of her son, but this wicked woman celebrated his death by killing all but one of her grandsons in cold murder. By eliminating her offspring, this cold-hearted woman cleared a path to the throne. She reigned over the land for the next seven years until God again intervened. As the result of an exciting coup the Lord restored the line of David with a little seven-year old boy, Joash, who narrowly escaped his grandmother’s bloodbath.
What a disturbing timeline of events that occurred in the lives of these kings of Judah! Ahaziah, along with many others, chose to listen to the wrong people and turn away from God. If only they had discovered for themselves what God required and had chosen to obey, then things would have gone so much better.
Always Verify Advice with Scripture
It is too late for them, but it is not too late for you. Regularly search God’s word to find out how He wants you to live. Pray and ask Him to show you what to do. Make sure you don’t blindly trust others to guide you in what they think is right, but verify advice you receive with the Scripture. Always keep in mind that even the most trustworthy of counselors can make mistakes – and sometimes “You can’t even trust your Mama!”
Love,
Mama
People are experiencing difficulties all around us. These are often the times they begin searching for answers. As God’s children we can point these suffering ones to Jesus. We just need to be ready and have an effective, God-focused strategy for witnessing.
discover what the future holds. Sometimes exciting opportunities surprise us. Other times we go about our business as usual. And still other times we are sideswiped by a wave of unexpected difficulties. The ebb and flow of life can either allow us to ride the waves or it will pull us out to sea.
The school year is winding down and I know your schedules are starting to fill up with deadlines and tests. April and May were always anxious months for me when I was in school. I wanted to do well, but wondered if I had what it took to succeed. I was tired and ready to be done, but what lay ahead seemed like a huge uphill battle.
