I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Well, OK, I accidentally did today’s passage yesterday. So, I am going to do yesterday’s passage today.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Kings 15-16.

    Something struck me that I never thought about before. The passage tells us that several kings in Judah did what was pleasing in God’s sight. Then it emphasizes that they did not destroy the pagan shrines. After two or three such kings, there was a king who did not do what was pleasing in God’s sight. Because his father allowed the pagan shrines to remain and did not lead the people to give them up, his son began following the practices of the people. Leaders need to do more than just do what is pleasing in God’s sight. They need to also lead the people to do the same. They need to inspire the people to give up their sinful ways. If the righteous leaders do not lead the people to be righteous, they will be followed, sooner or later, by a leader who is not righteous. A nation with righteous leaders will do well for a while, but if the people do not follow the example of those righteous leaders those righteous leaders will be succeeded by wicked leaders. Then the people and the nation will suffer. There are two sides to this. If the leaders do not inspire the people to be righteous, they are failing, at least in part, to fulfill the task to which they have been called. On the other hand, if the people are not righteous, it is only a matter of time until they have leaders as wicked as they are (or worse). Whatever our role in life, let us strive to live our lives righteously and to inspire others to do so as well.