Loving the Betrayer

 

(When Jesus had washed his disciples feet, he said) “Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he. Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”


It’s been a while since I started a reflection with a question so let me ask you one today. I know that all of you have had relationships with people over the years, not necessarily romantic. I also know that while most of them have been good (I hope), some have ended terribly. Trust has been shattered, confidences have been betrayed, hearts have been broken. Yes? Now here is the question: if you knew that a particular person was going to hurt you, would you still have allowed him (or her) into your life? 


I thought about this when I read today’s passage. Jesus knew from the beginning what Judas was going to do, yet he allowed him to come into his inner circle. He lived with him, ate with him, taught him, loved him. He knew what Peter was going to do too, as well as the other apostles. We tend to fixate on Peter and Judas as two men who let down Jesus, but the others weren’t too brave either. James and John fled when Jesus was arrested (see Matthew 26:56). Yet, he called them all his friends (see John 15:15). How did he do it?


Because he was pure love. And, as Scripture says, “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). I want us to understand this because if we are to love like Jesus does, then we have to learn how love works. Imagine holding an object in your hand (like, perhaps a remote control). I can see it clearly. But, if I put a handkerchief over it, I don’t see it anymore. It is not as if the remote disappears; it is still there, but I have concealed it under the kerchief. 


It’s the same with the sins of others. Love is the equivalent of the kerchief. I place it over the persons sins, CHOOSING not to see them. Let me explain how this works practically. I have been married for close to 32 years now. And for the most part, especially before I came back to Christ, I have been a terrible husband. Yet, whenever I told my wife that, she would say, “That’s what you say, but I see only somebody wonderful. I can’t even remember the bad things you did.” 


I used to marvel at that, thinking God had given her a special grace, but as I have drawn near to Jesus over the years, I have realized this automatically happens when you are close to him. You don’t remember the bad things people do. And why should you? Think about your friendships. Haven’t you had some wonderful moments together? Yet, one little thing happens, and you focus on that instead of the hundreds of good times you shared earlier. So, don’t! Remember the good times, and very soon you won’t even remember the bad. 


And then, you will be able to say, “I still love you”. And, even though the person who hurt you may not understand how you possibly can, you know it’s because it’s how Jesus did it.

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Let’s Get Healed - A Reflection on Matthew 18:21-19:1

Image
  Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me...
Read more

Patience - A Reflection on Luke 2:33-35.

Image
  And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”   This is probably the shortest passage that we have reflected upon this year. In it, we find a man named Simeon making a prophecy about three things. One, about Jesus. Two, about the people of Israel. And three, about the pain that Jesus’ mother Mary would go through. We have seen all his prophecies came true. But who is Simeon? And what can we learn from him? Ok. On the 40th day of his birth, Jesus is taken by Mary and Joseph to the temple to be officially inducted into the Jewish faith. When they were there, a man named Simeon came in to see them.   He is described as “righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Isr...
Read more

Dying and Killing

  The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earl...
Read more