2 Kings 20

 Hezekiah is visited by the son of the Babylonian king.  He showed up with a “get well card and gift” for Hezekiah, whom they had heard was sick.  Hezekiah fell for it hook line and sinker and gave them a “guided tour of all his prized possessions”.   “There wasn’t a thing in his palace or kingdom” that he didn’t show them.  Isaiah walks in during this and throws cold water on the party.  “Just what where these men doing here”?  Isaiah then gives Hezekiah God’s truth.  The Babylonians will come and take “everything you own and everything your ancestors have passed down to you” …..as well as taking “your sons….to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon”.  It was a classic case of letting the fox into the hen house here.  Hezekiah fell for the “gee we heard you were sick” line and let the enemy have full view of everything he has.  But here is the verse that got me.  Hezekiah knows that what Isaiah says is going to happen – it always has before.  He acknowledges that truth but then scripture says ” But he was thinking to himself, “It won’t happen during my lifetime–I’ll enjoy peace and security as long as I live.“  So basically Hezekiah says – too bad, so sad but it won’t be my problem.  Now for my offspring and my legacy, they have some tough times ahead but it won’t bother me because I will be long gone.  Is that how we should lead?  I think not.  One of the responsibilities I believe we are called to is to prepare the future for those who will follow us, not set them up for disaster and doom.  God desires us to leave a legacy that matters.  That means we can never have this attitude like Hezekiah has.  How we live today does impact the future.  We need to walk accordingly.  Hezekiah was a “good king” in God’s eyes, but he really dropped the ball here.  He made a big mistake and rather than owning up to it he dropped into self centered mode and says – not my problem.  Leaders can’t live like that.  It is always our problem when it impacts those who will follow.  Are you leading in a way that will allow those who follow to succeed in the future?  That is the mark of a real leader……..