Grandma's obscene image

I love when I come across scriptures I had not noticed before, especially ones that are "different", if you know what I mean. I read one today that is not only odd, but has a great lesson in it. It's found in 1 Kings 15:13. It's worth including just as written. "He (King Asa) also removed his grandmother Maacah from being queen mother because she had made an obscene image of Asherah." Does this verse strike you as funny as it does me? This is one of those times when I'm glad the bible doesn't have pictures. This was one wild grandma. I imagine her tattooed up in her leather queen suit traveling around setting up obscene images of false gods. Most of us have a wild relative (some of us more), but she was the queen mother! Asa is doing his best to serve the Lord and lead his kingdom to do the same and right in his own house, grandma is subverting his authority.

I love that Asa had the courage and the integrity to remove gramma and cut down that nasty image. It's never easy when we've got to stand against family or friends for something we know is right. It's only in those times when we may feel alone, or betrayed, or mis-understood, that our desire to live righteous (notice, not "self-righteous") before God is what gives us strength and the determination to make the hard decisions as well as carry them out.

So, next time Grandma wants to erect an "obscene image", take heart - you're not the only one with black sheep in the family.