July 12, 2026
Jeroboam’s Idol: Fear
How can you know if you make a decision based on faith or fear? Have you ever thought you were being nice, only to find when the problems you were ignoring come to the surface that it wasn’t kindness at all, it was fear. Afraid of doing the hard thing? Afraid of doing what most won’t?
I must confess I struggle with this. An issue bubbles up here in our church. Someone is tearing down somebody else—usually me—I know I need to address it, to tell them focus on Jesus, keep forgiving, and move on. But I don’t. I hate confrontation. So, I tell myself, “I know, I will just give them some time, maybe the Lord will change them. I’ll just be patient with them. I am so kind.” No, I am being a chicken. If you saw me, and heard the details, you’d say, “put on your big boy pants, and have a conversation.” But instead you find me just twiddling my thumbs, being ‘kind.’ No, It’s not kindness it’s fear.
Fear masquerading as kindness is most dangerous of all.
Fear to do what is right, following fear rather than following God, is the Idol of Jeroboam. We will learn today of this first king of the northern kingdom named Jeroboam. And for generations to come kings that follow him will be judged by God, because they never turned from the ways of Jeroboam. Jeroboam thought he was being generous, but it was hidden fear all along. His ‘kindness’ killed Israel spiritually, till in the end, his fear to do what was right killed the nation.