But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. – 2 Kings 14:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 15, 2013): 2 Kings 14

A few years ago I had a friend that seemed to be in continual conflict. His relationship with his wife was in trouble and the kids seemed to be out of control. It appeared that every area of his life was embroiled in conflict. Eventually the conflict in his life subsided, but that was when he seemed to start to search for conflict in other areas of his life. Oh, he would profess his hate for conflict, but almost without thought he seemed to find another argument or fight to throw himself into. In his mind the conflicts were unavoidable. Soon it became very noticeable that he seemed to be happy only when he was in the midst of a fight. He would never admit it, but it became apparent that his life now resolved around the various conflicts in his life. The disagreements that once were a shock to the system were now simply a necessary component of his life.   

Sometimes the fight is addictive. If we exist in a state of conflict too long, we find that we need the conflict to live. Whether it is the chemicals that our body emits during times of stress - or just that we learn to be comfortable in the conflict, our body begins to crave the argument – and we can find fights around every corner. It happens individually – but it also happens with organizations. Peace loving people are mystically transformed into people craving just one more fight.

Amaziah is described as a man who did right in the eyes of God. He was the son of Joash, and it seemed that at the beginning of his reign he possessed both the strengths and the weaknesses of his father. But then something happened. The ‘what’ was a fight against Edom – a fight in which he prevailed. But when the war was won, Amaziah appears to have built up a need for one more fight. Bolstered by his win over Edom, Amaziah turns his attention to his brothers in the North. But Jehoash, the King of Israel was not looking for a fight.

In Eastern cultures, hard conversations were often dealt with through the use of parables – and that is exactly what Jehoash decides to do here. His response to the invitation to do battle is both wise and diplomatic. He does not want conflict with his southern brother, but he also will not shy away from the battle. In the parable, he compares Amaziah to a thistle and himself to a cedar. Amaziah may be able to inflict some pain on the wild beast, but in the end it would only be the cedar, Jehoash, that would continue to stand.

Amaziah would end up ignoring the parable – and lose his freedom in the process. For Amaziah, the cedar of 

Lebanon would prove to be one fight too many.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Jonah 1 & 2