Lily: Remember King Josiah?

Shep: Sure! We talked about him last month on Kids Korner. He was a good king.

Lily: What makes a good king?

Shep: I think the key is obedience to God. If the king follows God, then he is said to be a good king.

Lily: Was there a ever a ruler who was younger than Josiah?

Shep: Yes, Joash was seven years old when he became king. Sometimes his name is spelled Jehoash.

Lily: How did he become king at such a young age?

Shep: This is an interesting story. When Joash was a baby, his dad, Ahaziah, was killed. Ahaziah's mother took the throne and started killing off everyone in the family. So, Joash was hidden in the temple. When he turned seven, the priests crowned him king after his grandmother died. The priest, Jehoiada, helped Joash. While he lived, Joash was a good king. He repaired God's Temple and got everyone worshiping one God again.

Lily: You make it sound like Joash got in trouble after the priest died.

Shep: That's exactly what happened. With Jehoiada gone, Joash startedlistening to other people and turned away from God.

Lily: Wow, it looks like Joash was easily influenced. He was fine when people around him helped him make good choices. But when someone with bad ideas influenced him, he gave up on good.

Shep: That's a lesson for all of us. We can't let bad companions sway our judgment and have us give up on God.

Lily: We can be willing to listen to advice, but it is important to choose right or good no matter what anyone else says.

Don't forget to color the picture of Joash.