I think we have all been betrayed at some point, whether we like to admit it or not, and the betrayal that hurts the most is usually done by someone that we loved and trusted very much. As I googled the word betrayal, it was defined as “an act of deliberate disloyalty.” I think the key word in this definition is deliberate. Not something accidental, but DELIBERATE. Someone actually CHOSE to commit the disloyalty. For me, I don’t think the moment of the betrayal is what hurts the most, but rather the aftermath. The ultimate effect that person leaves by not acknowledging the consequences that will result. Imagine all the deep conversations, laugh, cries, moments that you shared and experienced with a person, yet all of that was traded in for something else. For some of you it may have been a friendship that was broken or a relationship with a boyfriend/girlfriend, parent, etc.
One day as I was sitting down at my local Starbucks when I realized that what I had gone through was NOTHING compared to the betrayal Jesus went through. He was betrayed by someone who ate meals, traveled, and saw miracles with Him, yet this guy named Judas gave ALL that up for some money. Not even a large amount of money but 30 pieces of silver. Do you know how awful it must have felt that everything you experienced and shared with someone was traded in for something so worthless? Yes, afterwards Judas felt remorse and actually went back to return the money as seen in Matthew 27:3-4.
However, it had been too late. The damage had already been done. Jesus’ life was already affected.
Now clearly this story holds a lot of theology.. Because Judas was ultimately selected to betray Jesus.. But he had a free will…and so we could sit here and talk about it all day long..
BUT
The craziest part of this story is that Jesus KNEW this was going to happen.. He knew he was going to be betrayed, and yet loved Judas unconditionally. He shared His life with him and did not care that one day someone who He loved so much would trade his life over for some money. I don’t think any of us could love someone or even think about sharing our life with someone knowing that one day that person was going to hurt us in such way.
Yet Jesus was able to love Judas KNOWING the damage he was going to cause.
That’s how PERFECT Gods love is for us. If we really think about it, we commit acts of deliberate disloyalty towards God every day by choosing our own satisfaction over Him. We know that something is a sin and yet we continue to do it. We can watch Netflix all day and not spend 10 minutes talking to Him. The worst part is that we do not even know how much that hurts God; because it does hurt Him to see that we turn his back on him for things that are so worthless, when He just wants our love and attention.
This happens everyday, yet his love for us never goes away. So don’t you think He deserves a lot more from us? Instead of being satisfied with the most perfect love there is, we always turn to other things to try to fill us up. In the end, however, we can see how worthless those worldly things are.
My goal from now on is for you and me is to treat God with all the love, attention and respect He deserves. I choose to not exchange Him for anything this world may offer. Ultimately the consequence Judas made led Jesus to the cross, because in this world there are consequences for everything we do. Nevertheless, when we do the same thing to God, it doesnt affect him in the long run.. it affects us.. so lets change that for our own good.
Think about how amazing God is and His never ending unconditional love towards us regardless of our constant betrayal. Let’s not trade God, the One who gave us life, for things so worthless. Instead, let’s love Him with all our hearts like He has loved us!
XOXO Dani
Written by
Dani Rios
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