2 Chronicles 18:6-10: a reflection

6But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we may inquire of him?” 7The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.” Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.” 8Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, “Get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly.” 9Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “The LORD says, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’”

King Ahab, planning to go to war, has gathered prophets who all assure him of victory. But the godly king Jehoshaphat, uneasy, asks whether there is not another prophet of the LORD they might consult. Ahab's answer is revealing: There is one more, Micaiah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. Ahab did not want the truth; he wanted good news, and he hated the one prophet who told him the truth rather than what he wanted to hear.

Notice Ahab's telling admission: I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me. Ahab preferred the many prophets who flattered him with promises of success over the one who told him the truth. He surrounded himself with voices that agreed with what he wanted, and hated the voice that told him what he needed to hear. He wanted good news, not truth, and resented the truth-teller.

That is a searching mirror. We are all tempted, like Ahab, to prefer good news to truth, to surround ourselves with voices that agree with us and tell us what we want to hear, and to resent those who tell us hard truths we would rather not face. But we need the truth more than we need flattery, even when it is unwelcome. Examine whether you truly want the truth, or only good news. Do not, like Ahab, hate the ones who tell you hard truths and prefer the flatterers who tell you what you want to hear. Welcome the truth, even when it is unwelcome; the one who tells you what you need to hear is often a better friend than the one who only tells you what you want to hear.

Lord, Ahab hated the prophet Micaiah for telling him the truth, preferring the many voices that flattered him with the good news he wanted to hear. Search my own heart for that same preference. I am tempted, like Ahab, to prefer good news to truth, to surround myself with voices that agree with me, and to resent those who tell me hard truths I would rather not face. But I need the truth more than flattery, even when it is unwelcome. Help me truly want the truth, not just good news. Keep me from hating the ones who tell me what I need to hear and preferring the flatterers who tell me what I want to hear. Give me a heart that welcomes the truth, even when it is hard, and values the friend honest enough to speak it.