“Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done. He banished the male and female shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole. He cut down her obscene pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. Although the pagan shrines were not removed, Asa’s heart remained completely faithful to the Lord throughout his life. He brought into the Temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the various items that he and his father had dedicated. There was constant war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel.”
1 Kings 15:11-16 NLT
As we read about Baasha and Asa, it should strike us that their backgrounds couldn’t be more different. They are inversions of each other. Whereas Asa’s father had done evil on the sight of the Lord, Baasha’s father was a godly prophet. Yet Asa was a godly man and Baasha was an evil man. This should be a lesson for us about legacy. The mere fact of our family’s faith or even specific blessing does not necessitate or impart godliness upon our children. The converse is true as well. Humans are not products of their environment alone. When any person turns their heart toward God and does what is pleasing in his sight, he can upset or reset the flow of sin in his own legacy. In this vain, our earthly father’s matter very little. What determines a godly man is whether he actively chooses to make God his father. This is what will determine his success more than any factor. Let Baasha be a warning to those who raise their children in the safety of the church. It is not enough that we know God as our father. Our children must choose him as well. This should be the focus of our teaching and legacy.
JOSH McGARY. COM 