Training Your Replacement

 

    I imagine it is never easy to train the person that will replace you because that means you are no longer there, needed, or involved.  It may bring a lot of unwanted feelings, but to leave with someone that could step into your shoes without skipping a beat is the best gift to leave everyone involved.  They may not be as good as you or they may be better.  It doesn't matter.  What matters is that you do your best.

    King David spent his last few years training Solomon to be king.  He did the fundraising and planning to be able to build God's temple.  He wanted Solomon to have everything at his disposal, so that once he began there would not be any hang ups.  He knew that it would take years to build and if there were any delays, then it may never be finalized.  

    King David understood how difficult a job that Solomon was stepping into.  He wanted his son to succeed.  Why make a difficult job more difficult.  David stepped out of the picture subtilty.  The relationship between father and son was rejoiced.  

    David understood that it was all because of God and for God.  He would never have been king if it was left up to people and neither would this son.  Without God there was no hope, so David prayed publicly for his son.  He planned and he prayed to teach his son to be a better king than he was.  

    David got to be there when Solomon was anointed to be the next king.  That was not the norm.  It was usually done after the previous king died.  He lined things up so that the leaders and the people would submit to Solomon as king now and not after he died.  He did this so that Solomon would not have to waste years establishing his throne.  David lived a good and long life, but when he did die, the gave Solomon the best gift.  He gave Solomon the right and ability to be king.

1 Chronicles 29