John the Baptist shows us what it means to stand up for what's right, even when it's dangerous. He knew that telling King Herod the truth about his marriage would get him in trouble, but he did it anyway. John couldn't stay quiet when he saw something wrong happening, especially something so public. This is what God calls all of us to do - speak up for what's right, even when it's hard. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who suffer for doing what's right," and John lived this out completely. He knew his words would make Herod and his wife angry, but he chose truth over his own safety.
What makes Herod's story so sad is that he actually knew John was a good man. The Bible tells us that Herod was afraid of John because he knew John was holy and right with God. Herod even liked listening to John talk. But when push came to shove, Herod cared more about what people thought of him than doing the right thing. Haven't we all been there? We know what's right, we might even feel God pulling at our hearts, but we're too scared or too worried about what others will think. Herod felt terrible about killing John, but he did it anyway because he didn't want to look bad in front of his dinner guests.
The whole setup was a trap from the beginning. Herodias, Herod's wife, hated John and wanted him dead. She used her daughter and a fancy party to trick Herod into a corner. The girl's dance, Herod's big promise in front of everyone, the request for John's head - it was all planned out. This shows us how evil often works. It's not always obvious. Sometimes it hides behind normal things like parties and family gatherings. It uses our pride and our desire to look good to get us to do things we know are wrong. One bad choice led to another until an innocent man was dead.
John's death reminds us of how Jesus would die later. Both men died because they told the truth to people in power. Both were betrayed in a way - Herod actually cared about John but killed him anyway. And just like Jesus, John's faithful friends came and buried his body with love and respect. But here's the thing: what looked like defeat was really victory. John's courage to speak truth has inspired Christians for two thousand years. In our world today, where it's easy to just go along with whatever's popular, John challenges us to ask: Am I willing to stand up for what's right even if it costs me? Am I more concerned with God's approval or people's approval? John's life shows us that sometimes the greatest victory looks like the greatest loss, but God sees everything differently than we do.
Questions for Reflection
1. What truth in your life are you avoiding because you're afraid of the consequences? Like Herod, we often know what's right but hesitate to act on it. Maybe it's having a difficult conversation with a family member, standing up to unfairness at work, or admitting a mistake we've made. John didn't let fear stop him from speaking God's truth. What would happen if you stopped letting fear make your decisions for you?
2. When was the last time you chose people's approval over God's approval? Herod killed John not because he wanted to, but because he cared more about looking good in front of his dinner guests than doing what was right. We do this too - we stay silent when we should speak up, we go along with things we know are wrong, all because we don't want to rock the boat. How might your life look different if you cared more about what God thinks than what people think?
3. Are you more like John the Baptist or like Herod in this story? This isn't about being perfect - it's about being honest. John was willing to lose everything for truth. Herod knew the truth but let other things matter more. Most of us are somewhere in between, sometimes brave and sometimes scared. The question is: which direction are you moving? Are you growing in courage to live out your faith, or are you becoming more comfortable with compromise?
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
