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“He (Uzziah) sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God" (2 Chronicles 26:5).

Yesterday Brooksyne and I had a sad conversation in our chaplaincy role. We see a lot of people who have had very troubled lives, often but not always, due to alcohol and drug use. We seek to encourage them and point the way to Christ.

A man shared with us the love he had for his son whom he rarely sees due to his estrangement from the boy's mother. We encouraged him to have a role in his life to whatever extent he could. He bowed his head down and said, "I never had a relationship with my father either".

May God use godly men to come up alongside these troubled souls and provide an influence that should have been provided by their father. Today we consider Zechariah, who had a godly impact on a young king.

King Uzziah is not one of the more famous kings but the entire 26th chapter of 2 Chronicles is devoted to his life. The Bible records the lives of these kings not only as history, but also for the lessons we can learn from them.

Uzziah began his reign as king at sixteen and ruled over Judah for fifty-two years. His father Amaziah had turned away from following the Lord and was killed (2 Chronicles 25:27). He certainly was not a good influence on his son Uzziah!

At the beginning of his reign Uzziah was under the instruction of Zechariah, “who instructed him in the fear of God”. Zechariah taught him that he had a God to whom he was accountable. That’s a lesson we all need to learn and hide deep in our hearts. Under his example and influence he sought the Lord and “as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success”. 

Today our world is in dire need of people like Zechariah, and thankfully many do step up to either fulfill the role God intended for a father or to be a supplement and reinforcement to the parent(s) raising the child.

Today I spoke to Mike, a longtime friend since 1977, who for many years oversaw a program in our church to help young boys develop spiritually. But now for many years he has had a mentoring role with prisoners along with his wife, Kathy: a different setting and a different season in their lives, but the calling remains and the work continues!

To whom and in what ways can you be like a Zechariah today?

Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13