2 Chronicles 24:2

PARASITICAL PIETY

‘Joash did that which was right … all the days of Jehoiada.’

2 Chronicles 24:2

I. He was dependent for his faithfulness and piety on the good influence of his human friends.—There are many other children who have the same experience. While this incident of Joash and the good priest and his wife is before us, we may think a moment of the beautiful work they did for God in this training of the infant king. Perhaps they may sometimes have felt that it was not worth their while to be so burdened with caring for a baby. At least some women in these days think that nursing infants is rather dreary work, and they sigh that they cannot do something great for Christ because their hands are so full of nursery tasks. They forget that taking care of infants is work for Christ.

II. We should always have a care for God’s house.—‘ Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord.’ This may show itself in many ways. There is also a spiritual temple, in which every one should be particularly interested. Our life is God’s temple, and we should be most careful that no marring shall occur in it, no breaches; that no blemishes may be allowed to remain.

III. Slack helpers.—‘ Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.’ No reason is given for their want of energy. But we see the effect of their indolence. The house of the Lord remained year after year in its condition of decay, a standing dishonour to God and a reproach to the priests and Levites who had been commanded to repair it. We get a lesson on the sin of slowness and indolence in doing God’s work.

Illustration

‘Mrs. Preston, in one of her story poems, tells of a weary sister who grieved sorely because she was not free to do any work for Christ. By her mother’s dying bed she had promised to care for her little sister, and this had so filled her hands that she had not had time for anything else—anything for Christ. As she was once grieving thus the little sister sleeping beside her stirred, and awaking, told her of a sweet, strange dream that she had had. She thought that her sister had bidden each one bring Him a gift—

And in my dream I saw you there

And heard you say, “No hands can bear

A gift that are so filled with care.”

“What care?” the king said, and he smiled,

To hear you answer, wailing wild,

“I only toil to feed a child.”

And then with such a look Divine

(’Twas that awaked me with its shine)

He whispered, “But the child is Mine.”

There are many for whom this little story should have rich comfort. There are fathers and mothers who find it hard to provide for their children. It takes all their time and strength; and sometimes they say, “I cannot do any work for Christ, because it takes every minute to earn bread and clothing for my little ones and to care for them.” They do not remember that in providing for, watching over, and training their children, they are really doing the noblest work for Christ that their hands can find in all this world. Jesus whispers to them in their disheartenment, ‘Your children are Mine, and what you do for them you do for Me.’