Traps

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

TRAPS

Mark 6:24-29

24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered. 25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." 26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

NIV

So we come to the conclusion of this story about John, Herod, Herodias and her daughter. It is interesting that when corrected about very bad behavior, when her way of life was threatened, Herodias retaliated with putting away he who threatened her. Herod also was catch in a trap he could not escape because of his desire to please this young woman. Sin has it way of making things far worse than they should be. Herodias could have accepted John’s warning and repented. But of course that was not going to happen. Herod could have just applauded and told the dancing daughter how good she was, but that did not happen. Herod could have told his wife to keep her thoughts to herself, that he was the King and John had the right to declare the truth about them, he was a man of God and Herod was not going bring any danger upon him, but of course that did not happen. A trap was set and Herod was catch. Maybe we are not in those kinds of situations, but nevertheless traps are being set for us to fall into. We need to always be aware of whatever kind of trap is being set to snare us, putting us in a situation which could cause us to act ungodly. In the example set before us here, it could be a trap for us whenever we are corrected about our behavior. We have the choice to admit fault, repent, seek forgiveness and more forward in our relationship with who we offended and with God. We could also retaliate by defending our behavior and trying to cut off the head of who corrected us. Well not actually beheading, them but when we return fire, finding fault in them, it is much the same thing. We need to be aware of those traps staying clear of behaviors which would allow those traps to be set in the first place. Is there a truth we can learn from the trap setter? Could we ever be the one to entice another into bad behavior? Traps are not good, for the trapper or the trapped. Right relationships are not built through deception or deceit. Unwillingness to forgive, such as Herodias was, only breeds revenge in some manner. What kind of relationship could Herod and Herodias have had based on this story? There is much for us to learn here, but perhaps the most important thing is to live so as to be trap free.