If there had been a kitchen sink, I’m sure Joash would have given that to King Hazael, too. Do you wonder why Joash gave away so much? Was he that afraid that Jerusalem would fall under his watch? Was he prideful, a weak king, or a bit of a coward?
There is a time and a place for overdelivering. In our business, we learned early on that overdelivering makes for happy customers. We always appreciate doing business with people who overdeliver on their promises. It’s like a bonus you weren’t expecting. Here, Joash’s giving away all that has been dedicated seems a bit desperate. Do you think he checked in with God first?
Not only did Joash overdeliver in providing “bribes” to the opposition, but we learn that his own officers plotted against him. What was that all about? I hadn’t seen anything ahead of time to cause alarm, did you?
I got curious, and maybe you did, too. I checked another source, 2 Chronicles 24. The priestly account of what happened under Joash’s reign is shared there. I found it extremely helpful. There’s a lot more detail about King Joash.
But the account was different. Of course, it represents a different viewpoint, but there were some huge discrepancies. What did we learn? One gaping hole was that in 2 Chronicles, there is no mention of Joash overdelivering to keep Jerusalem safe.
According to 2 Chronicles, as soon as the priest, Jehoida, Joash’s mentor, died, Joash abandoned the LORD. Even Jehoida’s son, Zechariah, prophesied, “You have abandoned the LORD, and now he has abandoned you.” King Joash responded by ordering Zechariah’s death. That’s why some of his own officers assassinated Joash.
I’m going to focus on how I can overdeliver in terms of my obedience, my outreach, and my offering. I want to obey God in all that I say and do. I want to open my eyes and look for openings to share about my faith. I want to be the best I can be and share my gifts with others.
How will you be overdelivering?
Let’s pray …
Lord, help me to overdeliver in my obedience, outreach, and offering. Thank you for the confidence I feel, knowing you love me. When I’m feeling weak, give me your spirit and the courage to go on. Forgive me in my weakness. Make me strong. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
