“People insulted Christ, but he did not insult them in return. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten. He let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of him.Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right. And you are healed because of his wounds. You were like sheep that wandered away, but now you have come back to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:23-25 NCV).
In the Bible, Judas isn’t portrayed a hero. He’s called to be one of Jesus’s twelve disciples but outside of that, he’s not associated as a man of integrity. Judas helped initiate Jesus’s crucifixion.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Peter denied Jesus three times. After resurrection, Jesus offered Peter three chances to say that he loved Him. Jesus’s death isn’t the end of His story. Paul tortured Christians before he converted his hate to love.
What about Judas? Greed and power consumed him, leading him to betray Jesus. Unlike Paul’s conversion, Judas initially followed the Light before he turned to the dark side. After his horrific decision to expose Jesus to His accusers, Judas was consumed with regret and hung himself after the guards arrested Jesus.
Photo by Olya Kobruseva on Pexels.com
I wonder what would have happened if Judas hadn’t died by suicide. What else, in addition to greed, led him to deny his Teacher, the Man who showed universal love?
Did Judas doubt Jesus’s authenticity? Did he get tired of waiting for the promised Savior? In an action-addicted world, maybe Judas got impatient in waiting for Jesus to show Himself as the Promised Savior.
God has answers to all questions. I need Him to teach me to love like Jesus, to peacefully wait for answers. He loves all of us to death.
Lord, thank You for taking the world’s sin. Guard me against everything that betrays Your truth or denies Your priceless gift.
Crossing my heartstrings around the lily pad of life,
Christina