Betrayal and revenge

I am fascinated by the second World War. How did it ever get that far? It’s so hard to understand what motivated leaders but also the choices that people made. I remember seeing war movies about betrayal. Sometimes people had to betray others in order to save their own lives. What a horrible choice to make.

In this story Jesus is betrayed by two of his friends. First Judas and later Peter. Imagine that. Two of his closest companions. Judas chose money over Jesus. He took the soldiers where Jesus was and in return he received cash.

Peter let fear take over. He followed Jesus after his capture. He followed the soldiers to see what was happening to his beloved friend. But when he was questioned, he got frightened. To save his life, he denied even knowing Jesus. Such a betrayal. Imagine the heartache for Jesus. In his time of need these friends let him down.

But surprisingly we do not hear Jesus complain. He does not seek revenge. He knows the heart of people. He knows we can all betray, deny and leave him. And to be honest I sometimes do. I love Jesus but sometimes I shut my mouth because I feel ashamed or I'm afraid of what people might think of me.

Maybe you're like me. Perhaps you have betrayed Jesus in a way. By saying bad things about him, or not saying anything it all. Don't hide in shame. Tell Jesus and he will forgive you. Jesus forgave his friend Peter and he was restored.