the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her and John had told him, “It is
not right for you to live with your brother’s wife.” So Herodias held a grudge against
John and wanted to kill him, but she could not because Herod respected John.
Herodias had her chance on Herod’s birthday, On that occasion the daughter of
Herodias came in and danced; and she delighted Herod and his guests. The king
said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want and I will give it to you.” And he went
so far as to say with many oaths, “I will give you anything you ask, even half my
kingdom.” She went out to consult her mother, “What shall I ask for?” The mother
replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”
The king was very displeased, but he would not refuse in front of his guests because of
his oaths. So he sent one of the bodyguards with orders to bring John’s head.
He went and beheaded John in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it
to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard of this, they
came and took his body and buried it.
Reflect
A big trend in business circles is management training to help people become better
leaders. Every management expert has his or her own theory about the best way to
inspire people and help them commit to a goal. The readings today present two very
different images of leadership, one good and one bad. Herod was a bad leader.
The historical record shows that. He was jealous and impulsive and weak. He
tried to win people over with extravagant promises and, when that didn’t work, he
used violence. Unsurprisingly, Herod has gone down in history as a villain. Contrast
him with Paul who led by example and by serving. He worked hard on behalf of the
people he brought to Christ, inspiring them by his witness, especially by his patient
suffering on behalf of the Gospel. Paul didn’t seek fame and power. He kept his
attention focused solely on life in Christ. He led people to Christ with care, bringing
them to faith slowly and helping them grow to a mature faith step by step.
May we lead like Paul.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023
