Jan 30 2019 Mark 6: 13-29

The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her.




Out of regard for his oaths and guests.. Really? King Herod had John the Baptist beheaded because he’d promised his daughter he’d give her whatever she wanted, and he made this oath in front of his guests. She ran back, told her mom, who got what she wanted by having her daughter ask for the head of John the Baptist.

Herod was afraid of John because he knew he was a righteous and holy man. And yet, because of some stupid oath he’d made at a party, he had the man beheaded. He was absolutely played by his wife and daughter, and as a result, had a righteous and holy man beheaded.

I would hope that I’m smarter or more thoughtful than Herod, to feel backed into a corner because of over-reaching commitments or lines in the sand. But as I’m exiting one phase of parenting, and entering another, I fear I have much to learn. How many times have I chosen commands over love, chosen being right over being merciful?

Luckily, beheading isn’t in my arsenal of parental tools. But anger is. Judgment is. Vindication is. I pray that moving forward, I have the grace to understand that being right or executing consequences sometimes is the wrong choice. Sometimes it is the right choice, but not always.

Knowing when to walk away from some stupid commitment, or promise, or rule, may be the more grace-full path. And might result in no one losing their head.