"And he solemnly swore to her, 'Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.'"

-Mark 6:23

King Herod got himself into a real pickle.  Well, more than one, but this particular one was about saving face.  Years before, Herod had married his sister in law, Herodias.  John the Baptist had criticized Herod, saying, "You know better than to marry your brother's wife."  John was a controversial figure, but Herod protected him.  It made him feel better about himself to listen to John's teachings, which, in his morally confused state, he found confusing and perplexing.  But he sensed that John was a righteous and holy man.  So even though John challenged him, Herod liked to keep him around.  Herodius, however, hated John.  She'd have had him killed for criticizing the king if it had been up to her.  But Herod feared John and wouldn't have him killed.  It seemed he also feared his wife, because in order to placate her, he'd put John the Baptist in jail. 

One night, Herod threw a party for all his important friends - all the courtiers, officers and leaders of Galilee.  During the party, his daughter came in and danced for everyone.  Herod was pleased that she had delighted all his guests, and, perhaps under the influence of a little too much wine, he cried out, "Ask me for whatever you wish and I will give it!"  Then, in a more serious tone, he solomnly swore to her, "No, seriously. Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half my kingdom."  Herod wanted all his guests to know how generous he was.

The daughter went to her mother and asked, "What should I ask for?" and Herodius saw her opening had finally arrived.  She told her, "Ask him to give you John the Baptist's head on a platter."  Can you just imagine Herod's face when the girl announced her wish to him in front of all those guests?"  Because he'd promised in front of everyone, Herod felt he could not protect John the Baptist any more.  Besides, most of the power players of Galilee wanted to be rid of John themselves.  So Herod immediately dispatched a soldier to the jail, who indeed came back to the party with John's head on a plate.

Have you ever done something you didn't want to do because of peer pressure?  Have you gone against your own gut because you felt you had no way of getting out of doing something you felt was wrong?  On the other hand, what has been helpful to you in gathering up the courage you've needed to stand up for yourself, despite outward pressure?   How does it feel to do the hard but right thing?