Herod’s Furious Response
Another villainous part of Herod's life was his furious response when things didn't go his way.
The Magi are warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and Herod gets mad. In fact, in Matthew 2:16, we read that "when he realised he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under."
What a response! He didn't get his way. He panicked. He lashed out in anger and caused a big massacre of children.
What a way to respond to things not going your way.
Herod's Pattern of Violence
Herod was quite famous for being a volatile guy. He even had some of his own sons killed because he thought that they were going to plot against him to take his throne, causing Augustus, one of the Roman emperors, to say he'd rather be Herod's pig than his son. So this was a volatile man.
Villains tend to throw their toys, don't they? They tend to lose it and get mad. But so do any ordinary people. How do you deal with things not going your way? Do you get angry? I'm pretty sure you don't order the massacre of many children. But in Christ, we are to be known for our kindness and our gentleness rather than our aggression.
Christ's Call to Gentleness
Paul, again, speaks to this in his letter to the Ephesians in chapter 4:31: "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you."
So there's no place for slander, and rage and anger and brawling and bitterness in the Christian life.
Herod didn't know God. He was his own god, so he just did what he wanted. But you and I serve a great King who has loved us with amazing tenderness and gentleness and compassion. And so when things don't go your way, don't be like Herod who just threw his toys and got aggressive and even murdered. But instead, be kind, be tender-hearted, be compassionate.
Yes, stand firm for the truth - I don't mean back down on your principles - but do it with a quiet strength like Jesus would, not with a furious meltdown like Herod did.
When things don’t go Herod’s way, he responds in anger. Christians handle things differently.