“He Died to No One’s Regret.”

Most epitaphs say something nice, like “Loving Father and Husband,” or “Forever in Our Hearts,” or even “Sixth Generation Texan.” But the life of King Jehoram was summed up as:

“HE DIED TO NO ONE’S REGRET” 2 Chronicles 21:20.

Imagine that on a tombstone!  What happened?  King Asa, great-grandson of King Solomon, followed the Lord.  His son, Jehoshaphat, was a good king, but made some compromises:

“Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed…. Later, Jehoshaphat made an alliance with Ahaziah, King of Israel, who acted wickedly. Then Eliezer … prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying ‘Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works’” 1 Kings 22:32-37.

Jehoshaphat ignored the places for idol worship, and he made an alliance with the evil king Ahaziah.  He compromised—but you might say he was “pretty good.”  What happens when parents allow a little bit of sin, but remain “pretty good”? 

John Bisagno used to say, “What the parents allow in moderation, the children will allow in excess.”

Consider the next generation, the children of King Jehoshaphat:

“Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah … He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight” 2 Kings 8:16-18. 

Okay, but how evil?  Maybe he had a few drinks and liked to drive too fast on the freeway?  No.

“When Jehoram had established himself over his father’s kingdom, he strengthened his position by killing with the sword all his brothers as well as some of the princes of Israel” 2 Chronicles 21:4.  (He killed all his brothers! What?!) Jehoram added much more to his list of sins and crimes before finally, HE DIED TO NO ONE’S REGRET.

As I have written elsewhere, we should not blame parents for the sins of their children.  Our duty is to give grace, not judgment. But while making your own decisions as a parent, knowing that your children are watching your every move, remember human nature:

“WHAT THE PARENTS ALLOW IN MODERATION, THE CHILDREN WILL ALLOW IN EXCESS.” 

We must strive to live holy, Godly lives.  “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received” Ephesians 4:1.

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