Success IF!

1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

One of the most powerful words in the English language is just two letters long. No, I’m not talking about the word “No,” which is also a powerful two letter word. It can turn an otherwise beautiful comment into a grave disappointment. Let me give you an example or two.

“I would accept your proposal for marriage if you were ….” “You could be a great … if you just ….” “If only you had just done … you would have been successful.”

The word “If” throws many people for a spin. Where were these people before you almost succeeded? Why didn’t they give their helpful advise before you just missed it? The “if” puts a condition on the success or failure of any decision.

King David is addressing his son Solomon as his reign is coming to a close and his son is going to take over. David has one large project that Solomon his son will fulfill. It is a great sadness for David that he doesn’t get to build the Temple of the LORD. It has been his dream, as is evident from the extensive plans he has.

I can imagine David spending countless hours developing and refining his dream plans. But because of his wartime record and the lives that have been taken, he is not the one chosen to build the Temple. But there is the promise that his son Solomon will build it.

But David knows that success is tied to one thing: obedience. That is why David tells his son Solomon that he will have success IF…. There is no guarantee if Solomon doesn’t complete the things after the IF. Everything is contingent on Solomon’s compliance.

Solomon must keep the Law. he must live a certain way and avoid behaving in others. And everything to do with the Temple being built hangs in the balance.  And previous generations have failed miserably. Even his father, David, had the affair with Bathsheba and had her husband killed in order to cover up his sin.

So Solomon, like so many of us, didn’t have an example of godly living to look to as a model to follow. He lived among failed, corrupt sinners, just like us. His family was much more complicated than it was supposed to be. He lived in a fishbowl where everyone examined everything his family did.

If there had been paparazzi in his day, they would have had a field day with David and his wives. Front page stuff!

So when David give Solomon the IF, David must see the reaction in his son’s face. He then tells him to be strong and courageous, a popular refrain given to leaders who were about to start their leadership roles. He also warns him to not be afraid or discouraged.

You see, leaders are people too. They face the same challenges with mood and attitude that we do. They need our support and encouragement. They get overwhelmed.

And they have big “IF’s” in their lives. When they fail, the impact reverberates throughout communities. When David or Solomon fail, the country failed. So pray for our leaders at all levels and in all realms. They need our prayers and we need to pray.