12/14/2012

The Bad King

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.  Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:                                             
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”
Matt. 2:16-18 NIV

When do you know that you have done something wrong?


To see full sketch and link: And the...
Do you think to yourself, if I didn't do this thing my life will not turn out in my favor? Do you think that no one else is watching and does not care?

The unfortunate thing about King Herod is that he did not seem to even want to ask himself these questions. For this he has gone down in history as a babykiller. 

Beyond the obvious character flaws, it appears as if Herod had an agenda of his own. 

In order to protect his agenda, he must remain king. 

God had other plans. 

There was no magic or deceit in the Magi. Yet, in spite of being kings (or at least noblemen) like Herod, they had honor. These men, whether 3 or a dozen were seeking to worship, instead of being worshiped. 

Wanting to be worshiped was Herod's fatal flaw and his life did not last much longer after his decision to kill the babies in Bethlehem

It is understood that artists have a penchant for self-glorification. Especially, in this day and age where your name will precede your art, even if your art is no good. This reputation does us no good.

Our lives must be in constant review. We have a higher calling, than to glorify ourselves. Glory is a nice thing, especially when deserved, but it cannot exceed our passion for goodness, kindness, and love.        

I would like to challenge artists and those who greatly want to be paid professionals to shoot for a higher goal. How do we get beyond ourselves when the goal of self-glorification is a regular theme in our lives and work? 
  • Know that we don't have all the answers
  • Know that God has ultimate authority and that submission to Him really works!
  • Take a page out of the history books and compare ourselves to the heroes and villains-Whose lives do we emulate more?
  • Glorifying others where they are due is more important than seeking it for ourselves
  • Always be prepared to answer for what we have done, good or bad
  • Honesty is the best policy, when it comes to self-examination   
  • Always be passionate about doing good, being kind, and living out your love for others
Introspection, being what it is can be a sort of self-absorption, but always turning your life inside out permits you to see things that you are generally blind to. Keep these things in practice and I believe you will save yourself from the trouble that King Herod got trapped in. 

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