My guess is that if you go to church this Sunday you may very well hear the story of Herodias and her dodgy dancing. Such were her alluring moves before the king that she was granted her greatest desire, whatever that may be. Her charming mother, Herodias, who was feeling got at by the public over her loose morals, told her daughter to get the head of the preacher John the Baptist. And she did; she got his head on a plate, literally (Mark 6 v 28). Now top that story in the Sun on Sunday. Why recount this tale? Well, it is reminder that Christian faith is a grown-up thing. In just one story you have sex, murder, lust, power, trickery, theatre, dance, gender politics, and that talking truth to power can get you killed. And God is not afraid, through the Holy Spirit, to bring us this in Scripture. One thing the Bible is not is ‘nice’ – if ‘nice’ means sappy, inoff ensive, lame and predictable.
The Bible records humanity’s Thawed dealings with God, and God’s constant call to live love; love for God, love for our fellow men and women, and for our own confused and fallible selves. It may be that here in Scotland we don’t get our heads stuck on a plate if we try to live that love, but today in other places Christians get the equivalent. So let us grow up in faith and deal with real issues.
Rev Dugald Cameron, Kilmore and Oban Church of Scotland.