Sometimes, Great Evil Lurks Behind Charm
Even Baby Jesus was a threat to Herod. When money, tradition, power and privilege are threatened, there will be a response of retaliation. Babies may not be brutalized, as they are in this episode in Matthew 2, but when power is challenged, bad things will happen to good people. When you challenge the comfort of formidable opponents, there will be blood – figuratively or literally.
The Herods of the world have the wealth and the power to get their own way. They control who gets rewarded and who gets punished.
The story in Matthew 2:1-12 begins with "civil discourse," polite conversation. Kindness and gentleness are good things.
Having been a pastor for 25 years, however, I discovered that great evil can hide behind civil and courteous words. Isn't charm the great Southern gift? We speak polite and gracious shibboleths to one another in public settings, then go behind a person's back to sabotage the words we have just spoken.
http://www.ethicsdaily.com/news.php?viewStory=16153
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