WHEN the rule of Rehoboam was established and he grew strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, he and all Israel with him.
Rehoboam was one of the kings who did what was evil in God’s sight. He abandoned the law of the Lord, and what’s interesting to me is that all of Israel went with him. There’s some groupthink going on here.
Today’s reflection is from Kierkegaard, and focuses on how we are all judged by God as individuals, not by the actions of whatever group we’ve allied ourselves with. Even if Rehoboam was their leader, it’s interesting to me that all Israel followed, even good God loving children of God. That says something about human nature.
We take refuge in groups, even if the groups are doing things we aren’t sure are acceptable. Even the best groups or organizations sometimes head in directions that I as an individual don’t support. Church policies, social service agency turf and financial battles, political party opposition bashing. When I align myself with an organization or group, it is so easy to go along to get along. I overlook things I don’t like for the good of the group. And yet.
As Kierkegaard writes, we sometimes try “to hide among the crowd in the hope that God should not be able to recognize one from the other.” All of Israel followed Rehoboam. It was easier to follow, possibly due in part to the protection afforded people in groups. It’s easier for me to go along with an institution or group, than to risk standing up and standing out.
But Kierkegaard continues, “in eternity each shall render account as an individual.”.
This morning, I’m thinking about all of those times I’ve gone along with a group or followed a leader, which resulted in me acting in ways that were not consistent with what I believed to be of God. I want to recognize those instances in my past, so I have a better chance of recognizing them in the future. I do not want to stand before God with my only defense being that others did something. I want to make the choices and decisions based on what I believe is right. In the end, no one else will be standing with me as I stand before God.
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