Jehu wasn't an unqualified disaster as king of Israel. "Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel" (2 Kings 10:28). Jehu, however, was not a complete success as king either. "Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan" (2 Kings 10:29).

     Jehoahaz, Jehu's son, followed his father into this spiritual adultery. What we value is what we truly worship, and any priority we place over God is a kind of spiritual idolatry. Few of us will lead our children to follow us into idol worship. We couldn't be accused of leading our sons into spiritual adultery. Or, could we? I pray my son will not learn from me to value financial security over truth, or comfort over justice, or friendship over loyalty to the Lord. I hope he won't learn from me to give God the leftovers of his time on earth.