Choosing Your Enemies

Passage: 1 Kings 12:20-24

1 Kings 12 introduces a conflict that will plague the children of Israel until the exile. Having been split into two kingdoms – Israel and Judah – God’s people turn on each other. Judah, led by Solomon’s heir Rehoboam, and Israel, led by an upstart named Jeroboam, muster their forces and draw battle lines. They are prepared to destroy each other. This eventuality is prevented God himself. In the moments before the war begins, God sends a prophet to Rehoboam. God’s message is this:

Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.

Given Rehoboam’s propensity for disobedience against God, it is ironic that the king complies. He calls off his forces, and they all go home. Civil war is, for now, prevented.

There is a lesson in this story for all of us. It is in our nature, when things go wrong, to look for someone to blame. Almost invariably those we blame are those who are handy – the people closest by. These people tend to be members of our families; close friends; neighbors; classmates and coworkers. When everyday crises blow up, it’s the people closest at hand, and the people closest to us, who bear the brunt of our reactions. In the process, we turn family members and friends into enemies. We create feuds and grudges. We draw battle lines. These sources of conflict get monumentalized and we keep fighting long after we've forgotten why. We go out of our way to create enemies.

God’s message to us is the very message he gave Rehoboam and his army: “Look across the field of battle. Those are your brothers. For crying out loud, put your weapons down and go home.” God says, “Take a long hard look at the person you’ve blamed. Take a long hard look at the person you’ve turned into the enemy. Isn’t it someone you love? If you want to blame someone for your hardship or your hurt, blame me!” God claims responsibility for the events of our lives – good and bad. He invites us to look for his hand at work, and to trust that even our crises serve his purposes (see Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 10). God says, “This is my doing. So stop blaming each other. Put your weapons down and go home.” Take God’s words to heart – at work; in your home; in your church. These aren’t your enemies.