“And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It [is] the king of Israel. Therefore, they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.” (2Ch 18:31 AV)
Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah. Ahab was the king of Israel. Ahab had to go to war with the Syrians over the town of Ramoth-Gilead. This city was located on the east side of Jordan and belonged to the tribe of Gad. It was strategically located along the king’s highway and, whoever controlled this city, controlled commerce from the east to the west. Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join him in battle. Both kingdoms being Jewish, Jehoshaphat agreed. Part of the battle plan was to disguise Ahab as a common soldier while Jehoshaphat remained in his royal robes. The prophet had warned Ahab that he would die in battle for all the sins he and his wife, Jezebel, wrought on the ten northern tribes. His scheme was to sacrifice his brother so that he might live. It is surprising the king of Judah agreed to be the sacrificial lamb for his errant colleague. As the battle would go, the forces focused on the one in royal apparel. Here is where we pick up the account. With his life in jeopardy, Jehoshaphat cries out to the LORD, and the LORD delivered him. God protected the king from consequences of a poor choice made with good intentions.
We often make poor choices with good intentions. We mean well. We cannot say ‘no’. We think we are the only answer to another person’s problem. Sometimes the one in need is suffering greatly and our emotions get the better of us. The cause may even be a noble one. Regardless of the reason, we should not make the choice. In Jehoshaphat’s case, God was preparing to judge a severely backslidden and wicked king. Even though they shared a lineage and culture, and the heart would feel a certain loyalty because of it, he had no business helping someone whom God had declared judged. We often make similar choices. If the circumstances were slightly different, it would be the right thing to help. If someone was truly in need and there was no compromise in assisting, then it would be the right thing to do. Serving full-time in ministry, opportunities to exercise charity are extremely frequent. People in need tend to search out churches for help. Sometimes, the situation warrants assistance. Many times, it does not. No matter how destitute someone might appear, if it is evident they will use the assistance for substance abuse, helping does more harm than good. This reminded me of Peter, who told the poor, begged lame man, “…Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” (Ac 3:6 AV)
It is a good thing the LORD exercises compassion on our misguided compassion. God sees the heart. He knows we meant well. But if we show love and compassion without divine instruction, and it leads to unfortunate circumstances, sometimes God intervenes and prevents further harm. Not always, mind you. If the error was clearly wrong and especially egregious, it might be the LORD allows us to suffer the consequences of misguided assistance. Such was the case with me. I helped someone out with a medical need and chose to ignore a regulation. That cost me for three years. God is good. He loves us. He appreciates the concern we have for others. It is better to show concern and be wrong from time to time than to be a cynic and never show any concern at all. Know that if we do make a poor decision based on good intentions, the LORD may not allow us to suffer all we could have if He didn’t show grace. Praise the LORD for His grace! Praise the LORD that our lives are not in bigger messes than they are! Praise the LORD for His charity on the hearts of those who only mean well.
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