Betrayal.
The word evokes images of pain, strife, misery and deceit, all at the hands of a friend.
Friends know us at the deepest places of ourselves. They know what makes us happy, what we value, and what we believe. They also know what will hurt us the most.
A true friend is someone we trust implicitly, without reservation.
And when that person uses those innermost thoughts against us - that is betrayal.
As we approach the climax of Holy Week, we cannot forget the ultimate turning point in the story: Judas' betrayal of Jesus.
Without Judas seeking to turn his back on his friend, mentor and guide the events of Holy Week may have transpired differently. But it was not to be. Judas was the one who betrayed Jesus. He sought out those leaders who were searching for a way to rid themselves of the man they saw as a nuisance.
We can't be certain why Judas betrayed Jesus. There are many theories ranging from his desire to start a revolution to his lack of commitment to the mission. We do know that Satan used him (Luke 22:3), but after three years of sitting at the feet of the ONE who would save the world - the ONE who was truly the Messiah - how could he have turned so quickly? As with most betrayal in life there isn't an easy or a singular reason. We may never know why a friend chooses to betray us, but it doesn't lesson the feelings of pain and confusion which follow.
God used Judas' betrayal of Jesus for the good of mankind. We can see that now. But at the time, in the midst of the heightened passion of Holy Week, there would have been no way to know exactly how God would weave together the broken pieces of that relationship to make a more beautiful tapestry for the future.
If you are betrayed by a friend, you may never know the reason why, but you need to trust that God, even in the middle of your pain and anxiety, can create something good and beautiful and life giving out of what at the time will feel like the greatest of tragedies.
Betrayal is awful.
Allowing betrayal to define your life is pitiful.
Follow Jesus' lead and allow God to use your pain and sorrow to create something beautiful. Don't allow someone else's actions to define who you are.
Scripture
Quote of the Day
To betray you must first belong
Harold Philby
Question of the Day
When have you been betrayed by a freind?
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