Why Betrayal Hurts So Much
Matthew 26:14-16 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I betray Jesus to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. (NRSV)
When was the last time someone betrayed you? You trusted them, you held them dear, you blessed them. And then all of a sudden, one day they turned around and stabbed you in the back.
We’ve all been there. We all know that there are few things that hurt as much as the betrayal of a friend, because the saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies.
When someone who’s your enemy attacks you, whatever form that takes, that’s pretty much what you’d expect. After all, that’s what enemies do. Yes, it can make life difficult and painful … yes, it can even strike fear in your heart, but you were kind of expecting it anyway. So in a sense, it’s not a betrayal at all.
No, almost by definition, betrayal comes from someone we’ve held close – a friend or a loved one. We trusted them and then, seemingly without warning, they turn on us:
Matthew 26:14-16 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I betray Jesus to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. (NRSV)
Thirty pieces of silver. Sure, it was rather a lot of money but was it really worth the life of the Son of God? Judas was one of the twelve. He shouldn’t have betrayed Jesus! It’s just wrong for someone in your inner circle to do that. That’s why it hurts so much.
So the next time you experience betrayal, draw close to Jesus. He’s been there. He completely understands. And yet He responded to this terrible betrayal in love.
The next time betrayal hurts so much, draw close to Jesus.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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