Josiah - Change Agent

After King Hezekiah, who was described in 2 Kings 18 as unique among all the kings of Judah in following the Lord, there came 2 wicked kings, who led Judah into evil for 57 years. Two generations had squandered the results of Hezekiah’s revival. But God raised up a young King, Josiah, who brought about a great returning to the Lord.

I’ve often thought of Josiah as an agent of revival, but as I read his story last week, I realized that he could just as easily be described as a change agent. You can read his story in 2 Kings 22 and 23. in his story, there is much to be learned about leading change.

When we take God’s Word seriously, as did Josiah, we are not only revived ourselves, but God uses us to change the people we influence. In chapter 22, after he heard the Word of the Lord and repented:

1. Josiah called the elders together. These elders were those whose help he needed to gather the people and whose support he needed to garner the confidence and gain the obedience of the people.
2. Josiah then went up to the temple of the Lord. He knew he needed God’s help to undertake such a task. He wanted the people to be in the presence of the Lord when he introduced the changes to them. He knew that God’s presence moves the hearts of people to respond positively to change.
3. The people – all the people, from least to greatest – were to join the king for this monumental event.
4. Josiah read all the words of the Book of the Law. The change encompassed all of God’s will. It was not to be partial ill-defined.
5. Josiah stood by the pillar. Hallelujah! It is great to know that when we are called to be change agents, we are invited to stand in the strength of our God: his might and majesty, our heritage and history, a foundation of faith.
6. Josiah renewed the covenant – in the presence of the Lord – to: follow the Lord, to keep his commands, and to confirm the Word of God.
7. Josiah’s obedience and faith enabled the people to respond by pledging themselves to a covenant with their God.

Having gone on record, Josiah was ready to begin the works of repentance and revival in daily life. He could only do this with the support and help of the elders and the people. He needed their hearts and hands to be engaged in the change.

Christian leader, be a change agent. Like Josiah, turn to the Lord with all your heart and all your soul and with all your strength. Do so quickly – before it is too late, before the people are too far gone to effect a change:

1. Call the leaders together. You can’t do it without them. You can’t make changes without the support of the leadership.
2. Go to the temple – pray, worship, wait in the presence of the Lord. Announce the change in the place God’s hearing and in the context of his blessing. Recognize that this change is at root a spiritual, God-driven change. (If not, for God’s sake and the sake of his people, don’t do it!)
3. Invite all the people to participate. Communicate clearly to everyone, not just those you think support the change or will be affected by the change. Include everyone! Value all people equally!
4. Don’t talk about just the parts of the change you think will be popular. Include all the aspects of the change.
5. Know that Jesus stands beside you!
6. Commit yourself to the change – publicly!
7. Call for the response of all the people.

If you do these things, like Josiah, you will be ready to be a Change Agent.