As For Me and My Family We Will Praise The Lord

There are many ladies in the bible that I have had the privalage to study about. Mary's and Sarah and don't forget Ruth and so many more but today I want to share about a different lady in the bible. A lady that was not a lady that many found easy to love. Her name was Herodias and while she may not be a lady that many will find their selves wanting to be like she has a story to tell. God wants her to share her story as there is many different sides of life and God wants us to realize that. First, lets look at the scripture:

Mark 6:14-29 
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." 
Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago." 
But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!" 
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 
For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." 
So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. 
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 
When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you." 
And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom." 
She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered. 
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." 
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 
So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 
and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 
On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. 

Herodias was a lady who had a heritage of privalage. She was the grand-daughter of Herod the Great. Yes, it is the same Herod that wanted to kill the baby Jesus. So it was not surprising that she was not well liked. Herodias did have a family and wanted to leave a legacy for all to remember. 

Matthew 2:13 
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." 

As mothers we leave an impact on our families and children as well. I often tell my children that what they do and say reflects on their parents. This may be true but it is also true that what we do will reflect on our children, grand-children and future generations. The choices that we make today may and often do reflect on our future leaving a lasting effect. The good points and the bad are ones that will help future generations recall who we are and were.


Numbers 14:18
The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. 

Hate will eat us up inside til we can do nothing else. This is what happened to Herodias with her hatred for John the Baptist. Her decisions were ruled by her hate Murderous thoughts had existed in her family line even registering with her grandfather King Herod. Often times we do not think about what decisions we make, what words come out of our mouths or how we act. This is how Herodias acted she believed she was doing right when she had the request made for John the Baptist head.

Just because Herodias had a murderous grandfather did not mean that she had to follow that path. She could have made her own choices , different choices than the ones provided. I pray that my children will learn from my mistakes. Starting with me owning up to my own mistakes and apologizing to my children when I am wrong. In this manner they learn that they should take responsibility. 

We will all make mistakes, but it is how we handle those mistakes that will make the difference. Herodias acted like an irresponsible parent and a spoiled rotten grand-daughter. She not only was in it for herself but she wanted her daughter to be involved as well. In this way she was ensuring that the next generation has an evil beginning as well. Her daughter Salome was innocent but did her mothers bidding. She did not seem to let her bother her what it was she was requesting for her mother. It was what her mother wanted so the request to her was not any different than asking for anything else.

It is my prayer that I never set an example or encourage my children to follow my mistakes. The actions of Herodias is not something that I would ever follow or ever want to. But to some when we see our children going to school with other children with parents that may have done wrong to you then you may be tempted to warn your child to stay away from them or tell others to. In this day and age with bullying going on I do wonder what the parents generation was like. 

Herodias showed pride in her family and wanted to leave a legacy:

family: two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place

legacy: something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past

When you look at the definitions of these two words you will see that yes there was a strong family following with the same goals and values that were handed down from generation to the next.

Our children often follow our need. It is up to us to showcase our values and goals. My mother always said without goals we have no idea what direction in which we are headed. We need goals that we are currently working on and future goals as well. What is your goal for you and your family what is the legacy that you want to leave behind??






I pray that our family legacy will remain as it is. Knowingly Praising God and helping all that need it. If the message of Jesus needs told may we step up and share. May our children, grand-children and future generations know that our family was full of love for each other as Jesus loved us.

Joshua 24:15
"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."