Have you ever been betrayed? Have you had to be in the same room with your betrayer? Have you had to be kind to your betrayer? Do you continue to hold a grudge against your betrayer? Can you see their face?
We experience someone betraying us as we live out our lives. It may be as small as someone tattling on us when we were a child. It may be as serious as someone putting the blame for a business catastrophe on us. But make no mistake about it, we have been betrayed.
However, none of us have been betrayed like Jesus was betrayed. He was sold out, not to be fired, not to receive a small bit of punishment, but to die a horrible death on a cross. His betrayer committed the ultimate betrayal. Yet, Jesus allowed it to happen.
Jesus could have turned His betrayer into a pile of ash with a simply thought. Yet, He did not do that. He allowed him to sit at the table and eat the Passover meal with Him. He allowed him to walk away. He allowed him to bring the Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers to arrest Him. Jesus allowed Judas to come to his own realization of what he had done. And here is the kicker, Jesus did not allow any of it to worry Him.
We can take a lesson from Jesus. Rather than allowing our betrayer to rule our lives with worry and distraction, we can continue to focus on our purpose. If we are distracted, ask God to remove the distraction from our thoughts. Ask God to remove our hatred and forgive our betrayer. We have the key to release ourselves from the prison we have put ourselves in with our focus on our betrayer.
I pray we all overcome our feelings of betrayal. I pray we ask God to remove us from our prison. I pray each one of us will choose to follow Jesus’ example. Forgive those who betray you. Be released from your prison. Focus on your purpose. Ask Jesus to walk with you. Follow His example.
Matthew 26:20-21 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
Marty Pressey 