2 Chronicles 17:3-4 — And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

It sometimes seems that nobody wants to follow any of the old ways any more.

Jehoshaphat was wiser than we are. He looked back and followed the old ways. The first ways of “His father David”. Of course David was not, literally, the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa, son of Abijam, son of Rehoboam, son of Solomon … who was the son of David. Or perhaps Jehoshaphat didn’t look so far back. There is another account that says, “And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.” (1 Kings 22:43). Whichever role model Jehoshaphat chose, he chose well! David and Asa both did that which was “right in the eyes of the Lord”. I’m inclined to think it was David, because Jehoshaphat was said to have “sought the Lord with all his heart” (2 Chronicles 22:9).

Look a little closer, though. Chronicles says Jehoshaphat followed “the first ways of his father David”.

There is only one perfect role model. Jehoshaphat, of course, didn’t have Jesus in front of him — so he had to be selective about the behaviors he adopted. Both Asa and David went astray in later life … but their early lives provided plenty of material for Jehoshaphat to work with!

It’s a simple lesson, isn’t it? Sometimes you have to look backwards to find someone to look up to. So why is it that there’s such a tendency nowadays to look around rather than looking up? Who are today’s role models? — Athlete’s, singers, “reality” TV stars … too often they are not worthy of the adulation heaped upon them. 

There’s another part to the lesson. That one’s not too hard to follow either. When you find a good role model, you have to know they’re not perfect. Look at their behavior and follow selectively. When are they doing that which “is right in the eyes of the Lord”? When are they “seeking the Lord with their whole heart”? See what they do then, and follow in their ways.

Look back, look up, and follow.