Jotham was only 25 when he became King of Judah.  There had been others much younger, but they were given minders and others that helped them lead.  But don’t discredit a young man as sometimes the young have great fortitude.

Jotham walked in the way of his father, honoring the LORD, but he didn’t follow into the footsteps of his father’s disobedience by going into the temple.  He watched and learned and walked a better path.  This is the dream of every parent.  That a child would walk in even higher and better ways than the father.

Unfortunately though the people he led “still behaved corruptly” (2 Chr 27:2).  It wasn’t easy to lead and it wasn’t easy to stay the course.  But he did.

His work as a good king was like many others, strengthening cities, assisting the people and overcoming enemies.  He led well by serving the people well.   And at the end of his life he was given a great compliment:

“So Jotham strengthened himself because he did not waver in obeying the Lord his God” (2 Chr 27:6).

His ancestors had wavered.  Their lives were marked with seasons of great obedience and then seasons of disobedience.  But Jotham stayed the course.

What a great compliment to his life.  He obeyed the LORD throughout his entire lifetime.

Let the same be said of us, whatever comes our way.