“And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.”
— 2 Kings 22:2
“There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.”
— Augustine
THE STORIES THAT SHAPE US
This past week, I sat in a circle of men, friends, fathers, sons, leaders. A question was posed that brought the room to stillness for a moment. One of those questions that bypassed the surface and went straight for the soul:
“Tell me about your heritage. How did you become who you are today?”
The room first grew quiet. Then the stories began.
One by one, men shared about their fathers. Some about great men of faith. Others about fathers who were hardened, absent, or addicted. Some spoke through pain, describing how they had spent decades trying to earn a word of approval that never came.
Almost every story carried the same undercurrent…a longing to write a new story.
A determination to end the cycle of emotional distance, neglect, anger, or shame that had been passed down through generations.
As I listened, my mind went to the story of King Josiah.
THE LEGACY HE INHERITED
Josiah’s lineage was not noble. It was disastrous.
His father, Amon, and his grandfather, Manasseh, were two of the most wicked kings to ever sit on the throne of Judah.
Manasseh ruled for 55 years and was described in Scripture as a man who “did more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed before the Israelites.” [2 Kings 21:9].
He filled Jerusalem with idols. He sacrificed his own son. He rebuilt the altars to Baal. He corrupted worship in the temple of God. The list goes on.
Amon unfortunately followed in his footsteps. Rejecting God completely and multiplying the chaos of his father’s legacy until one day his own servants murdered him in his home.
This was the inheritance Josiah received.
A NEW DIRECTION
When Josiah became king at just eight years old, he inherited not only a throne, but a spiritual wasteland.
The temple was in ruin. The people were steeped in idolatry. The priests were corrupt and His bloodline was poisoned with rebellion. But when Josiah encountered the Word of God years later, something awakened in him.
He tore his robes in grief.
He humbled himself before the Lord.
And he made a decision that would echo through history.
“And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.” [2 Kings 22:2]
That phrase, “David his father”, is striking.
For one key reason. David wasn’t his father.
He was twelve generations removed.
The Bible could have said “in the ways of Amon” or “in the ways of Manasseh.” But it didn’t. It said “David his father.”
That’s Scripture’s way of saying Josiah chose a new inheritance.
He looked back at the brokenness of his lineage and decided to anchor his identity not in where he came from, but in who his God is. He wasn’t bound by his past. He was defined by his devotion.
THE FREEDOM TO START AGAIN
Maybe that’s your story, too.
Maybe you grew up under the shadow of addiction.
Maybe your dad was emotionally distant or angry.
Maybe you were raised in religion but never saw real relationship.
Maybe you’ve been told that you’ll always repeat the same cycles.
But here’s the truth of grace:
You don’t have to live the story you inherited.
Through Christ, you can step into a new story.
You are not your father’s failures.
You are not your family’s mistakes.
You are not bound to your bloodline, you’ve been bought by His.
Grace gives you the authority to claim a new inheritance. To plant your life in the soil of faithfulness, and to let a new lineage grow from it.
If you are in Christ, you are not defined by what came before you.
You are defined by what God can do through you.
DRAW THE LINE
The pattern breaks with someone who’s willing to take responsibility.
Someone who says:
“This story ends here.”
“The cycle of anger ends here.”
“The generational silence ends here.”
“The neglect ends here.”
“The sin that wrecked my family ends here.”
And that someone can be you.
Your obedience can rewrite your family tree. Your faithfulness can heal what’s been fractured for generations. Your surrender can create an inheritance generations will be grateful for.
Faithfulness always echoes.
Every choice you make ripples outward, into your marriage, your children, your friendships, your community, your church, your grandchildren’s grandchildren.
Your story may start in brokenness, but it can end in blessing.
And your name can be remembered as the hinge that turned an entire generation toward Christ.
That’s what Josiah did.
That’s what grace allows.
That’s what the gospel empowers.
REDEFINING SUCCESS
We live in a world obsessed with building an inheritance of wealth, status, and reputation.
But True inheritance is not about what you leave to your children. It’s about what you leave in them.
It’s not the car, the career, or the house.
It’s the faith, the integrity, the courage, and the story of redemption that says,
“Our family once walked in darkness, but then someone met Jesus.”
Be that someone.
Let your story be the pivot point in your lineage. The place where heaven invaded history. The turning of the page that began a new chapter of faithfulness.
A FINAL CHARGE
Grace gives you permission to start again. You can’t control the story you were born into. But you can choose the story you’ll be remembered for.
So draw the line.
Step into your new inheritance.
Be the one who turns the tide.
Your faithfulness today can feed generations to come.
Your devotion can echo into eternity.
Your obedience can become the blessing your descendants will one day live under.
God is not done writing your story.
Be found faithful.
Be found steadfast.
Be found building something that lives beyond you.
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