Yesterday I wondered why Jehoshaphat has allied himself with Ahab. In the back of my mind was 2Corinthians 6:14: Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? In its context, it is addressing working relationships. Jehoshaphat and Ahab’s alliance would qualify as such.
Well, my intuition seemed on target as I opened the text for today. Right off the bat the text read, When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you (1-2).
This causes me to consider my working relationship. I don’t believe God is saying not to relate to or work with unbelievers because that would be next to impossible. But we walk a fine line when we are under them, controlled by them or heavily influenced by them. Their play book is not the same as the Lord’s, which we are to follow. Their rules of operation are not the same as God’s, which I am to follow. Obviously, there are times I have no choice. For example, a slave didn’t get to choose his master!
When I can choose, that’s when “unequally yoked” comes to play. Jehoshaphat didn’t have to ally with Ahab. He chose to and God was not pleased…
Quietly comes the whisper of God… “Bill, consider your discretionary relationships. Are you “unequally yoked with those who don’t follow Me”” …
Lord, the relationships we are in exert influence, some tremendous influence, on me and how I live. Help me, Lord, to build good relationships and to use my relationships for good, to influence others and to stand strong against negative influence. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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