Self-Preservation
Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. ~ Matthew 2:16 (ESV)
Recently, I was reading the Christmas story in the Gospel of Matthew with some friends. In Matthew 2, the wise men come to King Herod and ask where the new king is. They had seen his star and knew that the new king was born. Now, Herod knows the wise men aren’t asking about any ordinary king—not a king of the Jews but THE king of the Jews, the long-awaited Messiah who would restore God’s kingdom. Sadly, Herod sees this not as a promise fulfilled but as a threat to his power. If the new king has been born, then Herod’s reign is going to come to an end. And Herod would rather keep his little kingdom than see God’s great kingdom on Earth.
No doubt you’re familiar with the story. Herod tells the wise men the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem and asks them to report to him when they find the baby. He intends to have the child murdered before he can grow up and usurp Herod’s throne. However, the wise men are warned in a dream of Herod’s intentions, so they never return to tell him the baby’s name. That’s when Herod decides to kill all the little boys in Bethlehem just to make sure his crown is secure.
As I read this familiar story, the word self-preservation came to mind. Herod’s insecurity and self-preservation were so bad that he murdered all the baby boys in an entire town! All of us are prone to self-preservation. The lengths we go to justify our actions and protect our image are shocking. And it’s sad how much we hurt others in the process. Herod murdered children because of it!
Here’s a prayer exercise you can practice to do a heart check on self-preservation. It was taught to me a few years ago by another pastor. Ask God to guide you through these questions, write the thoughts that come to mind while you reflect, and talk them over with someone you trust. This is one of the most powerful exercises you can do
What am I afraid of?
What am I trying to hide?
What am I trying to prove (and to whom)?