John 13: 21-30
21 Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!” 22 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23 The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” 25 So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” 28 None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 So Judas left at once, going out into the night.
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Betrayal in life can be terrible and devastating. Most of us will experience a betrayal at some point or another. It may be simple like a friend at school tattles on us. Or it may be gut wrenching such as an unfaithful end to a long marriage. Betrayal never comes from an enemy; instead, it always comes from those closest to us. That is because betrayal is predicted on trust.
Jesus and the disciples had been together long enough to build that sense of trust. That is why they are stunned as Jesus announces one of them would betray him. They had come to see him as prophet, healer, teacher, and even as the Holy One. How could one of them who experienced such things betray Jesus? The thought defied their imagination.
Even when Jesus gives them the sign, they seem unwilling to understand or believe that Judas was about to turn Jesus over to the authorities for crucifixion. They gave him the benefit of the doubt. That attitude shows us that the best tool of manipulation for a betrayer is to exploit the love and trust which overlooks faults, finds grace in acts which are wrong, and fails to hold accountable that which borders or crosses the line of evil.
Love must be our strength and our mission as followers of Christ, but love brings with it accountability and responsibility. Love is willing to forgive, but love cannot overlook what is wrong. We must follow Jesus’s example of gently yet firmly holding Judas accountable, speaking the truth of his bad actions, and giving the option to do what is right.
So what do we do when evil motives prevail? Here is a careful reminder: “There will be people in your life who will claim to love you but will turn their back on you when it is no longer convenient for them. Thankfully, there is one who promises, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Betrayal will leave us feeling broken hearted, but God will never fail to deliver on a promise, and God will never forsake you. And there is where we find our hope and our assurance in life.
Let us pray: Steadfast God, when others wound us, forsake us, and use us for their own selfish motives, remind us that there is a love which is pure and holy, a love found in you. Teach us to be gentle, yet firm in our faith in you, so that your hope and truth will reign. In Christ we pray. Amen.