In one sense, John the Baptist dies covered in humiliation. A false king who will soon be dead makes a foolish promise that no one would have remembered for more than five minutes. The false king’s false wife sees this as an opportunity to nurse a grudge against the man who exposed her sin so she tells her daughter to go sin in front of her false husband’s guests. That’s how John the Baptist died, victimized by the rage and foolishness of useless, worthless people. What a sad end.
And yet, in another sense, John the Baptist dies covered in glory. Because he dies the death of a prophet, the death of a man sent by God to call useless, worthless people to repentance. Like the Old Testament prophets before him, the last Old Testament prophet dies a death indicating that he is precious to God, so precious that God has called him to suffer dishonor for the name of Christ. So that’s how John the Baptist died, glorified by the mercy and compassion of the very God who created the heavens and the earth. What a glorious way to enter paradise.
The earthly sufferings you endure are sufferings. You’re not crazy if it hurts to endure them. You’re not wrong to weep when useless, worthless people hurt you in their foolish attempt to hurt God. But even when their cruelty rips the tears out of your eyes, rejoice. Because you’re sharing the same affliction that John the Baptist carried, the affliction that completed his chapter as a prophet and marked him as one clothed in the favor of God.
So weep, cry out for relief, but also, rejoice. Rejoice that you’ve been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Christ. Rejoice that, when you were useless and worthless, your Savior walked the path John paved. He forgave your sins, covered you in HIs worth and has now used you to reflect His glory to the world. Be at peace. You are not suffering in vain. You are suffering for the sake of the one who will one day end all your suffering and welcome you into His kingdom of imperishable bliss.
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