Be Interrupted
- Ntswaki Kutumela
- Jan 26, 2020
- 4 min read
A couple of weeks ago I was reading my daily devotions (and I have just been stuck reflecting on Matthew 14 for the past few days.)
It’s the story of Jesus performing one of his numerous miracles, but what leapt out for me was the actual circumstances leading up this event. To read full chapter -
I will really focus on Matthew 14: 1- 18 in the NKJV.
I hadn’t all these years had a full appreciation of this story till I read it again. Briefly this is a story of Herod, Herodias, her daughter Salome (the pawn in the game) and John the Baptist. John had confronted Herod about his adulterous relationship with his brothers wife. Herod had illegally divorced his first wife and then took his brothers’ (Herod Phillip) wife, being Herodias, as his own. Herod was a proud and insecure man for various reasons but essentially this insecurity was driven by the fact that the powers that be refused to recognise him as a king.
Anyway, he became infuriated to be called out by John like this but couldn’t exactly kill him as John had a huge following in the form of the multitude of Galilee (a story for another day: its quite interesting this thing of fear of peoples opinions. In this case, this fear of mens opinion kept Herod from committing an even greater evil - killing John).
Herod instead imprisoned John for his remarks. Now, the woman he married was actually more wicked than most (It may be because she was raised and socialised in a family that was inherently wicked eg: Herod the Great, whom you will remember wanted to kill Jesus when he heard of his birth). She was first married to Herod Phillip with whom she had her daughter Salome, before divorcing him to live with current Herod (the Tetrach). Whew!
It’s often said that you can never pacify a person who has evil plans consistently brewing in his/her heart against you. That is no more true than in this passage. On Herod's birthday, the newly formed family - Herod, Herodias and Salome were having party and the daughter was suggestively dancing for dad and friends and this was clearly pleasing to them. Herod, being presumably liquored up and chest puffed out asks the step daughter to request any wish in her heart and he will gladly oblige. Being coached by her mother, she asks for the most unusual thing - John the Baptists head delivered to her on a platter!! Immediately! This head was to be delivered there and then while their guests were still there. Very strategic move - the passage says Herod was sorry when he realised the magnitude of the oath he had to keep to the daughter so the immediacy required from him took out any opportunity to change his mind or reflect on this decision in a sober state. Regardless of this though, his pride and appraisal of his friends would not allow him to change his mind, I believe.
And just like that John was dead. For Herodias, John being imprisoned was not enough to satisfy her evil lust of power for the last word.
Nonetheless Jesus’ disciples came to hear of this and went to inform Jesus of what had just happened. This is actually the curious part for me. Jesus’ reaction to all of this:
To understand the relationship between Jesus and John is to understand that they are in actual fact first cousins. John baptised Jesus, described him to the crowds as “no one greater than John” (Matt 11:11). Now imagine the grief that he went through when he heard of the shameful and disastrous way his brother was murdered by some of the unscrupulous people one could imagine.
With all this he just retreated - I can only think, to mourn his brothers death, I would like to believe he would be asking God how long should such evil people be endured; to just cry; take it all it; or any other mourning rites one would follow after the death of such a close person.
What is clear is that is not what he had the luxury to do before being interrupted by the multitude that was following him throughout his ministry. His disciples, feeling sorry for him, attempted to turn the multitude away. Jesus told them not to do this because he became immediately taken in with compassion for all these people and their need.
Amazingly, in his deep grief, he allowed himself to be interrupted and moved by compassion for people.
He took that occasion to display Gods love in full action. His pain was interrupted. His plans of grieving were interrupted, Yet, he did not get irritated even though he had full rights to be upset by this situation. It is good to make plans; but also, to allow God to interrupt your plans.
Because of his compassion, Jesus had the wisdom not only to ‘go with the flow’, but also to respond actively – he ‘healed their sick’ . Even after all that, he did not take the opportunity to get away from the crowds. Instead, he fed them – or rather, he taught his disciples how to feed them miraculously. He empowered them, provided and active teaching moment that hopefully has the ability of resonating for the future.
Its amazing to see the extraordinary wisdom of Jesus as he navigated through this particular day. It was a day that started horrifically, but Jesus managed to heal many sick people and miraculously feed ‘five thousand men, besides women and children’. That day would be remembered throughout history and has affected millions of lives. It was borne out of one of the worst days I can imagine of His life.
The main take out for me, Jesus sees everything under the sun (even the likes of Herod in our lives), nothing escapes him. But on this particular day He still focussed all of the little energy he may have had left to do a great, edifying and miraculous work being led by the type of wisdom that can only come from a strong relationship with God.
May the difficult times in our lives not derail us of the plans God has for us, but rather, let them lead us to greater compassion and wisdom.
Ntswa
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