Go Away Baldy!

ByTonyaAnn Pember
   As I continue trudging through Kings and Chronicles in my chronological daily Bible reading,  it is sometimes hard to focus.  This weekend I was in 2 Kings 2 when I came across this verse: “From there Elisha went up to Bethel.  As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy,’ they said, “Get out of here, Baldy.’ (v23)  I laughed out loud.  And then, of course, I had to check it out in other translations.  The Hebrew means “bald”.  That’s the only word the translations use.  I wondered how different our culture would be if that were the worst insult hurled.  
    It bears saying that Elisha did not “turn the other cheek”.  He called down a curse on them and two bears appeared out of nowhere and “mauled”  42 children.  Yikes!  It  seems a bit extreme for someone calling you “bald”  especially if you are.  
   So,  I dug a little deeper. The commentaries agree that these were children of Baal worshipers. Children who had been taught disdain for God. Further, they didn’t run into Elisha by accident, nor in a little group.  At least 42 kids got together and followed Elisha through town calling him names.  They  knew who he was and saw him as an enemy to their lifestyle. It wasn’t their insult to his lack of hair,  it was the underlying sin that caused Elisha to curse them and God to follow the curse with judgement.  Their hearts were wicked.  
   Always, always,  the behavior is secondary to the condition of the heart.  Looking around me at the behavior of police officers,  mobs in the street,  church congregations, politicians and the news media;  I wonder at the state of the heart.  What do my words and my actions reveal about the condition of my heart?   

   Thinkin’ about my behavior today and wonderin’ what it said about my heart.  
TonyaAnn Pember

Want more of this content?  Join my list HERE!

Similar Posts

  • 5 Lead Points

    ByTonyaAnn Pember

        The final goal in this series is the one I most aspire to.   In Romans 8:4&5 “Only those people who are led by God’s Spirit are his children.  God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of him.  Instead, we become his children and call him our Father.” (the msg). More than anything…

  • Twelve for Dinner

    ByTonyaAnn Pember

        Twelve for Dinner       A few years ago, our church hosted a “walk to Calvary”. We paraded into Jerusalem waving our “palm” branches. Our path took us through several scenes, ending at an empty garden tomb. At one point, we stopped in the upper room to celebrate Passover. The table had paper placemats…

  • Unwrap the right Gift

    ByTonyaAnn Pember

       There is a constant barrage of news and social media posts regarding coronavirus. So much information is swirling through our televisions, computers and personal devices, it’s staggering.  It’s near impossible to know what’s true and what is not.  Mental health experts have three important words for the times we live in.  “TURN IT OFF!” …

  • Welcome to Patmos

    ByTonyaAnn Pember

            So, I’m thinkin’ today about John, the beloved disciple.  The one to whom Jesus entrusted His own mother’s life. John wrote his gospel between 80-95 AD, well after the ascension of Jesus.  He’s very clear that his purpose in this book is that others believe that Jesus is the Christ.  (Bonus Tip: …