Bad things do happen to good people!

Mark 6:17-29

17 Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison at the nagging of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. 18 For John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship with Herodias "adultery." 19 Herodias, smoldering with hate, wanted to kill him, but didn't dare 20 because Herod was in awe of John. Convinced that he was a holy man, he gave him special treatment. Whenever he listened to him he was miserable with guilt, and yet he couldn't stay away. Something in John kept pulling him back. 21 But a portentous day arrived when Herod threw a birthday party, inviting all the brass and bluebloods in Galilee. 22 Herodias's daughter entered the banquet hall and danced for the guests. She dazzled Herod and the guests.

The king said to the girl, "Ask me anything. I'll give you anything you want." 23 Carried away, he kept on, "I swear, I'll split my kingdom with you if you say so!" 24 She went back to her mother and said, "What should I ask for?" "Ask for the head of John the Baptizer." 25 Excited, she ran back to the king and said, "I want the head of John the Baptizer served up on a platter. And I want it now!" 26 That sobered the king up fast. But unwilling to lose face with his guests, he caved in and let her have her wish. 27 The king sent the executioner off to the prison with orders to bring back John's head. He went, cut off John's head, 28 brought it back on a platter, and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. 29 When John's disciples heard about this, they came and got the body and gave it a decent burial.

Food for thought

This passage is one of the most difficult to understand in the entire Bible. It records the events surrounding the death of '' the best among those born of a woman'', John the Baptist. He was a special man, chosen for a special mission. He was the “forerunner” of the Messiah. He was the fulfilment of several Old Testament prophecies. He was the last of the Old Testament prophets. He was a powerful preacher. He was a fearless prophet. He was a true man of God. As Jesus Christ Himself testified, “Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist,” (Matt. 11:11). 

All this said, John was imprisoned, then beheaded. Why do bad things happen to good people like John? The answer is in the question: Because bad things sometimes do happen to good people. Besides Jesus, John is the best example of bad things happening to good people. 

Have you ever felt like being another John, who though serving the Lord and following his ways, that you find yourself imprisoned in overwhelming circumstances in life that seem to point to the idea that God just simply can’t be trusted? 

At times, when we’re certain that we’ve been faithful to God, we can find ourselves feeling alone and abandoned by a God who promised us great things. In our times of suffering, God requires us to trust Him, against all human reason.

Didn’t John deserve better? With all that he had done for the Lord? Having prepared the way for Christ, shouldn’t he be rescued? No. Why? Because God wants to teach us that bad things do happen to good people.

Whatever your prison may be, whatever your Herod may be, you must accept that God has allowed every circumstance in your life to happen, and that he will use it all for good. He knows about the enemies surrounding you. He’s brought you to this very place, so that you can witness, first hand, what it’s like to have bad things happening to good people. Yesterday, it was John, then Jesus, then... you!