Natural Cruelty

     I have a hard time with the concept that some people find pleasure in being cruel. It comes natural to them.  It happens so easily and they don't even have to try.  It is not out of anger, spite, revenge, or insane.  It is just a part of who they are.  However, we all have some level of natural cruelty in us. 
     Sometimes people use cruelty to intimidate people into submission.  That is the worst way to do it because it distorts the true nature of submission.  King Herod allowed the women in his life to persuade him to rule in that manner.  He was cruel out of fear.  He feared losing all these things and his power.  This fear drove him to do things that destroyed many lives. 
     He thought John the Baptist was the Messiah, so he had John arrested.  He was angry that John spoke against how he chose to live his life.  He wanted to have John killed on the spot, but he feared the people's reaction. 
     On Herodias's birthday everything changed.  She was his lover's daughter, so maybe his niece or maybe his.  We do not know.  She danced for him in a way to influence him.  Her mother had her ask for John's head on a platter for her gift.  His natural cruelty did not see anything wrong with it.  His only hesitation was his fear of the people.  He did not want to disappoint his women, so he did it.
     John's disciples took his body to bury it, then they went to find Jesus to give him the horrible news.  Jesus was naturally upset, so he went to be alone to mourn and pray.  He knew He would see John again one day soon, but it still hurt. 
     The crowds did not know or maybe understand, so they still pursued Jesus.  I think Jesus took his emotional pain to turn it into something beautiful by the miracle of feeding 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.
     Jesus counteracted the natural cruelty of humans with compassion and love.  He thanked God in his pain and took care of the people before He allowed Himself to mourn.  He made sure everyone was fed to content, not just to keep them alive. 
     He pushed the faith of His closest friends by walking on water.  It was beneficial to them because the more your faith grows the more the natural cruelty in your heart is pushed out.  Every human has some level deep inside, even if they never let it show.  Keep your eyes on Jesus and you can do beautiful things in your life.  When our faith lets us down, then Jesus will catch us. 

Matthew 14