Handmade oil painting reproduction of Salome with Head of John the Baptist, a painting by Andrea Solari.
To introduce the article which is quoted by Wiebe, the main thought is that we behead John the Baptist anew when we share before or encourage divisions, gossip, and slander in front of our children. Min. Okwandu from Nigeria writes:
...What are the advices we give our children? What are the things you, as a father or mother are induced to tell your child? Some may like to tell their child or children the wrongs which a brother did to them. While others may like to share with their children the weakness of a brother or sister. It could be they will like to criticize a brother in the face of their children. Are we fair in our actions? Are we fair in our advices? Are we portraying the good virtue of a father or mother? What legacies we are leaving for our siblings? Is this not the same as demanding the head of John, a brother in a charger? Let us deeply think about this. At first it may not create a prick in our heart but after the thunder comes the rain...
... How do we love our brothers? How dear are our brothers to us? Are there not times we crucify an innocent brother? Are there not times our words become nails, piercing their heart? Are there not times when our looks become like fire in their mind? Are there not times when our smiles become hypocritical? Are there not times when our handshake becomes cold? We can go down through this corridor of line of questions.
Is this head useful? Dear reader, NO! Could we think of those around us, our neighbors in particular? Are there not those you do not want to see? Are there not those you do not want to hear their voice? Things like these sends ripples of hatred, ranchor, avarice, and such like in and around us. In turn we began to look for ways to have our neighbors' head in a charger.
Dear reader, Jesus said that we should love our neighbors as our own self. He further said that greater love has no man than these that a man lays down his life for his friends. Further readings said that by these shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another.
What do our children come home with? There are times they come home with what that brother said today or what that sister said or did today in the meetings. Sometimes thy come home with the story of our neighbor whose conduct was unfair, (who knows)? Or sometimes with the story of how the gathering in the worldly meetings looked.
Dear father and mother let us be fast in hearing but slower in speaking...
...May we be willing to help our children in the best way that will bring honor and glory to the name of God.
Min. Charles E. Okwandu
The Head of John the Baptist
The Voice of Christians' Fellowship
Vo. 19/2011 No. 4
Quoted by Jason Wiebe
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