By When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?”
“How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?” 2 Kings 9:22
When it was put in my heart to seek out what message I was to write about from Kings, I wasn’t given much to go on. I thought to myself, “Oh boy, this is going to be like a needle in a haystack!” Then I came across it and even though relief flooded through me, it was short lived as it dawned on me that I really am not well versed in the Old Testament books, especially when it pertains to the kings and if we’re going to be honest, trying to follow lineage and whatnot can be intimidating.
Most of us have some knowledge on Jezebel, the chaos she caused and how she plagued (and how the Jezebel spirit continues on with her cause) her time with nothing but wickedness. There are endless articles, books and research completed upon exactly that. So why Lord do you want me to focus on this passage?
Then the words cleared up in my mind and it became clear to me what I was meant to write…
“How can there be peace, as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?”
How many of us were raised in homes or by families that participated in behaviors that we now know are not ok by Biblical standards, and because of this we still find ourselves struggling to absolve ourselves of those behaviors?
We also find ourselves struggling to “unlearn” those behaviors simply, because, for so long we were led to believe that they were acceptable and/or ‘not that bad’.
We grew up being exposed to things like horoscopes, drinking, drugs, partying, gambling, adultery and premarital sex (just to name a few). Come on now, we all know so many of us saw our moms or aunties checking their horoscopes faithfully, or maybe it was the cool neighbor who always boasted how she was heading to the casino to win big every weekend.
Or how at every family cook out we had the uncles that we never saw without a beer in their hands? Or the family members that seemed to have a rotating door of new “happily ever after’s” that moved in and out more often than most of us change the light bulbs in our homes.
As children, being exposed to and being raised around those things quickly became “normal” to us. We became conditioned to believe that these things were acceptable and that it wasn’t any of our business to say otherwise. What was the saying, “As long as it isn’t hurting anyone else it isn’t any of your business?”
Truly I tell you, behaviors being learned by little eyes really is all of our business when you stop and think about it. And to think now, today, what our own children are being exposed to daily, wowzers! Truly it is no wonder our world is full of so many lost souls walking around hurt and hurting others. Unfortunately, the spirit and motives of Jezebel are still abound, and plentiful. And it is more important now than ever before that we set the example for our own children to follow, which in part will lead to theirs following suit, and so forth.
None of us are free from sin, nor are we ever going to be. However, I do believe that we can strive to live in such a way that when our children look upon us they will see the glory and the goodness that being a God-lead Christian amounts to. And that they too will strive for such a way of life. That my friends, as parents, should be our end goal in parenting: to know that we raised them in such a way that they don’t have parts that need healed, that need reprogrammed or that need unlearned.
We truly need to open our eyes to just how impressionable they are, and to realize that they are our future and so much is riding on the seeds that we sow within them now.
While I don’t believe we will ever be able to fully rid the world of the “Jezebels”, we sure can sow more Ruth’s, Esther’s, Mary’s and Deborah’s. And in doing so, it’s those seeds that will go on to produce more peace throughout the world.
“Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you.” Hosea 10.12 NASB
Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”
by leaps and bounds 