Doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly

II Chronicles 25:2 (NIV)

He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly. 

Rick Warren, in chapter 34 of his book Purpose Driven Life, used this verse to support the following statements, “To be a servant requires a mental shift, a change in your attitudes.  God is always more interested in why we do something than in what we do.  Attitudes count more than achievements.”

II Chronicles 25:2 describes Amaziah, 10^th king of Judah, best known for destroying Edom, as prophesied by Obadiah (1:15).  II Chronicles 25:11-13 describes the viciousness of Amaziah, ordering his troops to throw 10,000 captured troops off a cliff and they were all “dashed to pieces”.  Think for a moment how unimaginable that is!

Amaziah sinned against God by bringing back the gods of Edom and worshipping them (II Chronicles 25:14).  So, while Amaziah started his reign in obedience to God, he did not continue in obedience.

What does it mean today to “do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly”?  Warren basically teaches that true Christian service is not only doing what the Lord wants you to do, but also to think like a servant of the Lord.  He list five attitudes that exist in the mind of the true servant of the Lord:

1.   Thinking more about others than thinking about yourself.

2.   Thinking like a steward (servant entrusted with what belongs to God) rather than like an owner.

3.   Thinking about your own work, not what others are doing.

4.   Basing your identity in Christ

5.   Thinking of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation.

If you are serving the Lord in some way in your church and/or community, examine your attitude of service.  Are you serving the Lord in order to be admired by others and to pat yourself on the back for doing good?  Are you managing and using your time and money all for your own benefit rather than for the benefit of others?  Is there any comparison between what you are doing for the Lord and what others are doing (or not doing)?  Is there any work of service that you feel is beneath your dignity to do (e.g. are you too filled with pride to do menial tasks like what Jesus did in washing His disciples’ feet?).  Are you serving the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100:2), never worrying about rewards, being convinced that the Lord knows what you are doing and it is not in vain (I Corinthians 15:58)?

In my experience, often learned the hard way, the happiest people you’ll ever meet are those who are engaged in an active ministry of serving others and have the kinds of attitudes described in this meditation.  If you are not happy with your life, perhaps it is because you are not serving others.  Begin serving others not only through your actions, but also with the right attitudes.