II Kings 8:15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.
Your Greatest Power
It has occurred to me that like hymns, books in the Bible often consist of both verses and a refrain. In other words, a hymn may have four different verses which each have an individual message that contributes to the whole. Then, you have a refrain, or chorus, that is consistent with all four verses. You can sing the first or last verse of Victory in Jesus and the refrain is going to be the same. In the same way, I believe each part of the Bible has relevant meaning and is constructed to convey that meaning, but I also think we can learn much from the refrains, things that, regardless of the chapter they are in, are repeated and have their own individual lesson.
II Kings 8 has a couple of stories that have a specific meaning. However, what caught my attention was the refrains, choruses that are not just in chapter 8 but elsewhere as well. These refrains remind me of two elements: position and influence.
One refrain is found in the words, “reigned in his stead.” When a king dies, someone else controls the kingdom in his stead. Verse 15 is about a man named Hazael who murdered the king of Syria. Hazael murdered the king to gain the king’s power.
The refrain, “reigned in his stead,” is found over and again. For instance, verse 24 says, “Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.” This is a different king and a different situation, and it reminds me that someone is going to take my place. No matter what your position, age, or power, at some point, you are going to die, and someone will take your place. Every person is valuable before God and every person has been placed in this world for a purpose, but it is good to remember that no matter who you are, someone is going to be “in your stead.”
Another refrain is found in the words, “walked in the way of.” This speaks to our influence. Your influence will outlive you no matter what position you have. Verse 18 says, “And he [Jehoshaphat] walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.” Verse 27 says, “And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.” Ahab died, but his influence did not. It is interesting to note that Ahab’s influence lived on, not only because he was king, but because he was a father and a father-in-law. It is amazing the power of family.
Your position will not outlive you as yours, but your influence will. The position you hold will one day be wrested from you, but the influence you have may live centuries after you are gone. Let me urge you to begin by helping the people that are most able to be influenced, kids, your son, your daughter, your nephew, your niece, your student. It is so easy to overlook the people who are most apt to be influenced and who will make a big impact on the world that we will not see. Your greatest and farthest reaching power comes from the influence you have, not the position you hold. They are related, but they are distinct, and we should be smart enough to know it.