For as long as I can remember my mom has always said that one of her favorite things about the betrayal of Jesus is that none of the disciples knew who would betray him.
He treated Judas the exact same way as he did everyone else around him.
Luke 22:21-22 says: And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
Even at the very last supper...it was not obvious who would be the one to betray Him.
You would think after that announcement someone would have said "ahh it must be Judas because you don't share as much with him. Or you don't greet him the same way. Or you hardly talk to him." But that is not the case. The disciples did not throw names out. They did not know. They each began to question whether or not it was themselves.
That is beautiful to me.
Because I know it is hard to do.
When you know that someone has hurt you, or will hurt you. Acting normal and treating them with the exact same decency as everyone else is a chore.
The only way it can come natural is through the work of the Holy Spirit inside of you because your flesh will not allow it.
But Jesus loved Judas. Right up until the very end. So much.
And that's crazy to me because I cannot comprehend it.
Yet that is what I crave to be like.
Strive to be like.
Love your enemies. Not just put up with them or fake it or avoid them but truly love them. To the point where even your closest friends don't know you have an issue with them.
Even the disciple whom Jesus loved, John, questioned himself as the betrayer because he had no clue it would be Judas.
I am far from this kind of selfless love.
I read a quote about a week ago that said "Work at your lives. Work at your godliness. Work at speaking and behaving in such a way that those around you want what you've got!"
I am a work in progress in this area. And many other areas.
So here's where I start.
I start small.
I have a prayer board.
I write out the names of people I know I don't see eye to eye with and differ with. [everyone has them, just be real about it]
And I begin to pray for them. Every. Single. Night.
Like probably more than I pray for my own family.
Fervently.
And the prayers are tough at the beginning. And short.
Yet over time, it becomes easier and easier to pray for them.
The more I pray, the more opportunities I get to see them and interact. God has a sense of humor.
And the more my heart softens, and breaks.
It's sweet.
I have done this for the past five years now.
One girl that was on the prayer board became my sweet sister in Christ. I even had the honor of being one of her bridesmaids.
I don't know if this is something you struggle with or if my heart is just flat out blacker then though.
But this is my two cents worth of advice on where to start. Take it or leave it. But either way, love your enemies. Jesus did.
He treated Judas the exact same way as he did everyone else around him.
Luke 22:21-22 says: And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
Even at the very last supper...it was not obvious who would be the one to betray Him.
You would think after that announcement someone would have said "ahh it must be Judas because you don't share as much with him. Or you don't greet him the same way. Or you hardly talk to him." But that is not the case. The disciples did not throw names out. They did not know. They each began to question whether or not it was themselves.
That is beautiful to me.
Because I know it is hard to do.
When you know that someone has hurt you, or will hurt you. Acting normal and treating them with the exact same decency as everyone else is a chore.
The only way it can come natural is through the work of the Holy Spirit inside of you because your flesh will not allow it.
But Jesus loved Judas. Right up until the very end. So much.
And that's crazy to me because I cannot comprehend it.
Yet that is what I crave to be like.
Strive to be like.
Love your enemies. Not just put up with them or fake it or avoid them but truly love them. To the point where even your closest friends don't know you have an issue with them.
Even the disciple whom Jesus loved, John, questioned himself as the betrayer because he had no clue it would be Judas.
I am far from this kind of selfless love.
I read a quote about a week ago that said "Work at your lives. Work at your godliness. Work at speaking and behaving in such a way that those around you want what you've got!"
I am a work in progress in this area. And many other areas.
So here's where I start.
I start small.
I have a prayer board.
I write out the names of people I know I don't see eye to eye with and differ with. [everyone has them, just be real about it]
And I begin to pray for them. Every. Single. Night.
Like probably more than I pray for my own family.
Fervently.
And the prayers are tough at the beginning. And short.
Yet over time, it becomes easier and easier to pray for them.
The more I pray, the more opportunities I get to see them and interact. God has a sense of humor.
And the more my heart softens, and breaks.
It's sweet.
I have done this for the past five years now.
One girl that was on the prayer board became my sweet sister in Christ. I even had the honor of being one of her bridesmaids.
I don't know if this is something you struggle with or if my heart is just flat out blacker then though.
But this is my two cents worth of advice on where to start. Take it or leave it. But either way, love your enemies. Jesus did.
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