Legacy Building Through Obedience to God

By:  Dale Weckbacher

2 Chronicles 27:6

 So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.

(ESV)

Jotham is a minor king of Judah who reigned for the brief period of 16 years.  We find the only mentions of what he did as King of Judah in 2 Chronicles 27 and 2 Kings 15:32-38.  However, the legacy of his brief rein is known as him being a king who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord (2 Chronicles 27:2, 2 Kings 15:34) except for not removing the high places where the people made sacrifices (2 Kings 15:35) and continued their corrupt practices (2 Chronicles 27:2).  However, Jotham’s personal obedience to the Lord and his Word caused him to become a mighty leader, and an example for any leader to follow in their leadership role.

Webster’s Dictionary defines legacy as “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.”  (1)  We often hear the term legacy in politics, especially when a leader is nearing the end of their term in office.  However, according to Glenn Llopis, legacy is not an afterthought built at the end of one’s term of leadership but something a leader builds through moments shared, decisions made, actions taken, and even mistakes made and overcame during their rein of power.  (2)  Mr. Llopis continues by defining five ways a leader can be effective through leading with a legacy driven mindset. 

1)      Identity and values (2) – Leaders lead and must begin with a firm knowledge of who they are and what they stand for both individually and as leaders.  This constitutes the value base of a leader and influences their decisions.  The eventual legacy of a leader is a reflection these values, as we see in the example of the briefly mentioned leadership of Jotham.

2)      Guiding foundational principles (2) – Those following a leader do so out of trust.  A leader’s reputation is the foundation upon which they build trust.  Leaders with firmly established identities and values will lead according to a predictable set of principles.  Through the establishment of a predictable set of principles, followers develop trust in a leader.  However, what if those following do not agree with the principles upon which a leader leads?  This is when those following must remember that no leader is perfect, that the leader is the boss, and that there is a big picture to consider that we may not fully see.  Followers must also understand their position and place their trust in God.  (3)  The bottom line therefore is even when followers may disagree with their leader, when their leader leads according to a predictable set of principles, followers can trust how they will lead.  Even though the people of Judah did not adopt the Godly principles of Jotham during his reign, continuing their pagan sacrifices, they did trust Jotham to protect them against their enemies (2 Chronicles 27:4-5). 

3)      Courage and Risk-taking (2)– Leaders must courageously take calculated risks. As Mr. Llopis states it, this often requires bucking the status quo of conventional wisdom and leaders placing their reputations on the line.  God often reminded Joshua to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6,7,9,18).  From God’s frequent reminders to Joshua, we can surmise that Joshua struggled with the courage to take risks.  However, Joshua later proclaimed his commitment to follow the Lord despite the risks involved (Joshua 24:15).  Joshua calculated the risks involved with confronting the Canaanites occupying the land God promised to Israel and considered them worth taking, creating a legacy of strong and courageous leadership (Acts7:45).  

4)      Genuine care to advance others (2) – Leaders who genuinely care for those following them reap the benefits of Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCP) which are behaviors going beyond the normal duties of their positions.  (4)  This is the lasting legacy a leader can create as these OCP’s will continue beyond the time of leadership, and even the life of a leader.  Jesus Christ is the perfect example of this for even after his ascension to heaven, his followers, based upon His concern for them and willingness to die for their sins, continued to spread the Gospel despite the fact it meant frequent imprisonment and eventually their lives. 

5)      Responsibility and accountability (2) – Many a great leader has fallen due to improprieties and improper behavior.  Although no leader, except for Jesus, is perfect, great leaders understand the great responsibility of leadership and hold themselves accountable for their actions.  David in the Bible understood this and when confronted with his adultery with Bathsheba by the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12:1-15), took responsibility for his actions and went on to build a legacy as a Godly leader after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), and one through whom Messiah would come and eternally rule (Isaiah 9:6-7). 

We need more leaders working towards a legacy of obedience to God.  We need leaders with Godly values leading according to Godly principles.  We need courageous Godly leaders willing to take the calculated risk of daring to follow Godly principles even when it is unpopular or politically incorrect.  Most of all we need leaders with a genuine concern for those they lead who hold themselves responsible and accountable for their actions, something to keep in mind in the upcoming congressional elections in 2018.

1. Merriam-Webster. Definition of legacy. www.merriam-webster.com. [Online] Mirriam-Webster Dictionary. [Cited: December 24, 2017.] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legacy?src=search-dict-hed.

2. Llopis, Glenn. 5 Ways A Legacy-Driven Mindset Will Define Your Leadership. www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, February 20, 2014. [Cited: December 24, 2017.] https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2014/02/20/5-ways-a-legacy-driven-mindset-will-define-your-leadership/#5b056c1016b1.

3. Salisbury, Karen Jensen. When You Disagree with Your Leader. karenjensen.org. [Online] Karen Jensen Salisbury Ministries. [Cited: December 24, 2017.] http://karenjensen.org/index.php/media-menu/newsletter-archives/283-when-you-disagree-with-your-leader.

4. Study.com. Organizational Citizenship Behavior in the Workplace: Definition and Examples. study.com. [Online] Study.com. [Cited: December 24, 2017.] Organizational Citizenship Behavior in the Workplace: Definition and Examples https://study.com/academy/lesson/organizational-citizenship-behavior-in-the-workplace-definition-and-examples.html.