阅读经文 

人们通常都想隐藏自己的秘密。

例如，希律王和希罗底没有正式结婚，因为希罗底是希律兄弟的妻子，但他们不想让别人知道这件事。

所以，当施洗约翰指出他们的错时，希律王便捉拿了约翰和把他囚在监里。希罗底也怀恨在心，想要杀了约翰，但希律王却不敢贸然这样做，因为他知道约翰是个先知。

然而她的机会来了。希律王生日那天，希罗底的女儿为他跳舞，为了回报她，希律王承诺，无论她求什么，他都会应允。

她于是去问她的母亲：“ 我可以求什么呢？”

希罗底说：“ 施洗约翰的头。”

为了不想在宾客面前受窘，希律只好下令斩下约翰的头。

希律是一个愚昧的人，他选择漠视真理和任意妄为。他可以得到赦免吗？可以的，他只要愿意悔改和服从神，就是最骇人听闻的罪，也可以得到赦免。可惜，希律却选择漠视约翰传讲的悔改和赦罪的信息，而约翰也在这邪恶的王手中受苦和丧命。

今天，我们应当怎样生活呢？如果我们单单想取悦自己，结果只会伤害别人和得罪主。

People usually like to hide their secrets.

King Herod and Herodias, for example, were not legally married, because Herodias was still married to Herod's brother. But they didn't want people to know that.

So when John the Baptist pointed out their wrongdoing, Herod arrested John and put him in prison. Herodias, nursing a grudge, wanted to kill John, but Herod was afraid to do that, knowing John was a prophet.

But then an opportunity came when Herodias's daughter danced for King Herod on his birthday. In return, Herod promised to give her whatever she wanted.

So she asked her mother, "What shall I ask for?"

And Herodias said, "The head of John the Baptist."

So Herod, not wanting to be embarrassed in front of his guests, had John beheaded.

Herod was a foolish man who chose to ignore the truth and tried to do whatever he pleased. Could he have been forgiven? Yes, if he wanted to repent and obey God, he could have been forgiven, even for his terrible crimes. But Herod chose to ignore the message of John, about repentance and forgiveness, and John suffered by losing his life at the hands of this wicked king.

How should we live our lives today? If all we want to do is please ourselves, we will only hurt others and the Lord.