Christian Parenting 101
Lesson 2: What is God's Plan for training a Child?
The Ugly
One of the worst sets of parents, hands down, must have been Salome’s parents: her stepfather and uncle, King Herod Antipas, and her mother, Herodias.
When her stepfather threw a party in honor of his birthday, he asked the child to dance for him and his invited guest. (1) While the Bible does not give specific details about the dance, it is very obvious that a dance that so pleased the king and his many friends was probably far from chaste and innocent. This would explain why a proud Herod so quickly offered to give her anything she wanted, even half of his kingdom. Being prompted by her mother, Salome is directed to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. King Herod complied, had John the Baptist beheaded and his head brought into the party on a platter.
What a disastrous parenting style! A child is used as a pawn for personal gain and vengeance (Herodias’), possibly sexual gratification and as a showpiece (Herod’s), and is so conditioned by living in such an environment that she becomes an accomplice in the death of another human being.
(1) Matthew 14:3-11
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