We saw in yesterday's blog that John the Baptist didn't sugar coat what he believed. This is the personality that God gave to the man who would prepare the way for Jesus. Some would say it was this flaw in John's communication skills that brought things to a head. But others would say John was brave and willing to put his life on the line. I agree with the latter. John was a radical in every way. He had no tolerance for manipulation or patience for half truths. He didn't spend time strategizing and figuring out his options. He lived in the Spirit - so he didn't have to. He had a personal policy of speaking God's truth and watching how God would use his words. He didn't do it out of arrogance, but out of love. He knew how much God loved us and his job was to prepare the way for that love.
Matthew 14:3-4 3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 4 because John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
Mark 6:17-18 17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her. 18 For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
Luke 3:19-20 19 But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added to them all by shutting up John in prison.
Somehow John the Baptist and Herod, who was a Roman-backed Jewish ruler, had developed a relationship. I imagine that Herod, hearing of John's rock star popularity, clothing, and diet invited him for a visit. John, who wanted nothing more than to tell people about the Messiah, would have certainly gone. Somewhere in the midst of telling Herod the good news, John pointed out to him that he was living in a wrong way. That he needed to change. To go another direction - that God had a better plan for his sexuality. In my heart, I know that John didn't deliver such messages because he liked to be "better than thou" or bossy. He did it out of urgency and love for whomever he was talking to.
But Herod can't handle the truth or the disrespect. Herod can't see that John is telling him because he loves him and wants the best for him. So Herod locks John up in prison.
And Jesus lets him. God lets him. God lets bad things happen to his followers - even to John the Baptist who has given up his life to prepare the way for Jesus. We often think when bad things happen to us or others that it is a result of our failures. But John is in prison because he did his job.
When we sign up to follow Jesus, there is no guarantee that things will go well in the world's eyes. In fact, if history is any kind of accurate judge of the future, things will probably be pretty tough at times. Followers of Jesus measure success by how much Jesus lives through them. Not by how well things go on the outside.
Could you be down on yourself because things are not going well? Are you measuring success God's way or your own way? Stand firm!
Or maybe things are going well and you are sitting pretty. Are you willing to be courageous and speak the truth in love? Or are you only prepared to keep the status quo? Are you willing to go through tough times for the sake of loving others? Even those who won't love you back? If not, who or what are you following? Be strong!
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