Saving Face

Read Mark 6:14-29.

It's a dark story with dark motives. John the Baptist has been a thorn in the side of King Herod (this is not the Herod of Jesus' birth story; this is Herod: The Next Generation). John has criticized power, and power always pushes back—except Herod doesn't seem to know what to do about John. He doesn't like the criticism or the attention pointed in his direction by John because of his current marriage, but he knows there is something about John that attracts him, even as he despises the man. John, he believes, is a holy man, so Herod, despite the criticism, protects John.

That doesn't mean those in power will let him get away with it. When Herod makes a foolish vow to his step-daughter (and niece), she asks for what he didn't expect. She wants the head of John the Baptizer. And Herod, who doesn't want to go back on his vow or appear weak in the presence of his friends, grants her request. (He will show the same lack of decision-making ability when he's confronted with Jesus a couple of years later.) John loses his life because the powerful will always protect their power. Power will always try to save face.

We look at Herod's story and realize how awful it is. What a terrible thing for him to do! Yet, what are we willing to do to save face, to protect our reputation, to make sure we are "safe"? The businessperson who will lie and cheat and steal to protect a certain way of life. The pastor who inflates the numbers on the year-end reports "just a little" to make it look like things are better than they are. The person who never stops talking about their accomplishments or themselves. On and on the list could go. We are Herod, far too often.

Jesus stands against us as a contrast, as one who humbly lived, whose life always pointed others toward his heavenly Father, as one who laid down his life for people who weren't even born yet. Our calling is to lift him up rather than ourselves, to allow others to see him in us rather than to "save face" or protect our own image. How will you allow others to see him through you today?