II Kings 11:14b “…and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.”
Treason! Treason!
Nobody likes a traitor; everybody thinks loyalty is a virtue. The real question is, loyalty to whom? In II Kings 11, Athaliah was a power-hungry queen who “destroyed all the seed royal,” which meant killing off her own grandchildren and family. Without her knowledge, her grandson Joash (the rightful heir to the throne) was saved from the murderous rampage. When he was later brought out from hiding and crowned king, Athaliah cried, “Treason, Treason.”
What a twisted story! The eleventh chapter of Second Kings is all about loyalty and treason. Who was loyal? Who was treasonous? Were the ones who sheltered the king-to-be committing treason, or was the woman who was crying “treason” the one?
Sometimes we elevate loyalty to a virtue without considering to whom we are being loyal. Any loyalty that hinders your obedience to God is a treasonous act to be avoided. I have to be careful about this truth, and I suspect you do, too. It is natural to concern yourself with others’ loyalty toward you instead of your loyalty to God. The moment I stop following God, I forfeit any right to expect loyalty from anyone else.
Loyalty is important, but the way to gain it is to pursue an authentic loyalty to God. Any loyalty you receive from those under your authority ought to be channeled to the One who gave you the position. Any loyalty you hold that hinders obedience to God is treason and should be avoided. Are you loyal? Are you a traitor?