Children of God, Not Fools

These readings set two ways before us. One way is the way of Jehoiada’s covenant, the temple repaired, the king instructed, and the child of God purifying himself because he hopes to see Christ. The other is the way of Joash after he forgot his teacher, of the bloody city full of lies and robbery, of the fool whose mouth kindles strife, and of the man who says he loves God while hating his brother.

To be called God’s children is not a title for idleness. John says that the one who has this hope makes himself pure, does righteousness, and lays down his life in deed and truth. Therefore we must not spare the idols that dwell in conduct: proud speech, lazy religion, withheld mercy, secret uncleanness, and the settled grudge. The overthrow of altars in Judah teaches us to make no peace with what competes with God. Tertullian says, “You shall overthrow all their altars, you shall overturn and break in pieces their pillars, and cut down their groves, and burn with fire the graven images of the gods themselves, and destroy the names of them out of that place.”

Joash began well under a faithful priest and ended in blood when he would not hear reproof. So let no one trust in a good beginning. If we refuse correction, we become like the fool of Proverbs, and the pit we dig for another receives us first. If we hate our brother, our worship is already defiled. As Cyprian warns, “He who hates his brother is a murderer 1 John 3:15 and no murderer attains to the kingdom of heaven, nor does he live with God.” The world will not know such a life, but God will.