He had the impact of a king, but he was never a king nor did he ever aspire to be one, yet he was buried as one.

Position is not everything – in fact, in some respects, it is very little. You can connive, scheme, and plot to work or weasel your way into a position, but once you’re there, what then? And what respect do you have from those who observed your manipulations and maneuvers? You may hold the position, but if you don’t have their respect — you have very little! It is a shallow and empty achievement.

What counts most in your life is what you ‘do’ — not what position you ‘hold’. Titles and offices may swell your head with pride and garner you some attention from onlookers, as well as some respect. But all of that will disappear quickly and be replaced by anger and cynicism if you do not live up to the honour of the title.

Jehoiada was never a king. He never sat on a throne. He never wore a crown. He never held a golden sceptre in his hand. No regal robes hung in his closet, and servants didn’t polish the silver and the gold trappings on his royal chariot. He didn’t live in the palace.

But watch closely. Follow the funeral procession. See the tears as the people line the streets of Jerusalem and watch with reverence and respect. The procession is heading towards the Royal Cemetery reserved for kings. The remains of Jehoiada are being laid to rest. With all the pomp and ceremony reserved for a state funeral, the gates to the cemetery are opened. The procession moves quietly into the Cemetery of the Kings, and they respectfully bury Jehoiada, who was neither a king nor the son of a king.

Jehoiada died when he was old and full of days; he was 130 years old at his death. He was buried in the city of David with the kings because he had done what was good in Israel with respect to God and his temple. 2 Chronicles 24:15-16 CSB

Just in case you missed the reason for the State funeral, you may have noticed it was also underlined. He received a burial fit for a king because he did good things that pleased God and obviously the people.

Jehoiada didn’t need the position of king to have the impact of a king or to earn the respect due to a king. He just did as much good as he could possibly do in the sphere where God had placed him in life. He was a spiritual man and served as a priest in the Jewish system. His influence was great due to his consistent pattern of making the right choices and doing good things. He was really the mover and the shaker for the Lord during King Joash’s reign. The King made the official decisions because he held the position, but the real power came from God through Jehoiada.

To repeat: He had the impact of a king, but he was never a king nor did he ever aspire to be one, yet he was buried as one.

Read Marie Smith’s story here: A Tragic Night that Changed Everything

You don’t need to be an elder in a local church to make a real difference for the Lord. You don’t need to be an official shepherd to care for and tend troubled sheep in distress. You don’t need to be a preacher to share the Gospel with others. You don’t need to be a Sunday School teacher to have an impact on children. You don’t need to be designated a teacher to teach.

Sadly, too many seem to be focused on obtaining positions and titles in life. Don’t go down that road. It’s shallow and can be disastrous. Positions and titles have ruined people with potential. Focus on being busy; doing all the good you can do wherever God has placed you at each stage in your life.

Do the right things at the right times in the right places for the right reasons. That’s what will make your life a blessing to all within your sphere of influence — a well-lived life, significant in time and for the eternal ages.