“Everyone turned against Jesus. Though the kiss was planted by Judas, the betrayal was committed by all. Every person took a step, but no one took a stand. As Jesus left the garden he walked alone. The world had turned against him. He was betrayed.” Excerpt from Max Lucado’s "And the angels were silent".

 

Betrayal stings so much because often it is at the hands of those you trust and/or love the most.

 

Family and friends let you down; they say and do things that cut you to the quick. People you once regarded as friends no longer give you the time of day. Fellow Christians behave in ways irreconcilable with the truth of the Word. You reel in disbelief. Surely, they will apologise? Crickets.

 

Lucado expressed it well, “It’s a weapon found only in the hands of one you love. … It’s a violation of trust, an inside job.” In a professional context, it comes from those beaming with saccharine smiles, until you feel the agony of betrayal. Stolen contracts, distorted facts, ghastly acts. You did not see it coming.

 

How do you protect yourself from the stinging pain? Do you live life waiting for the inevitable: people are sure to let you down? Or is there another way?

 

None of us is perfect, all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Perhaps, people falling short should be expected. Since that day in the garden, human brokenness has become the norm, not the exception.

 

Jesus knew it, and according to John 2:24-25 he would not entrust himself to people, for he knew what was in the heart of men. It did not stop him from loving us, though.

 

May his example entreat us to entrust ourselves to God and not man. The disciples of old encountered the Lion of Judah and put their faith in him. “Something happens to a man when he stands within inches of the Judean Lion. Something happens when he hears the roar, when he can feel the Lion’s breath, ” Lucado writes.

 

Like them, may God help us to find the strength to be more than we ever imagined, because we, too, have made him our Saviour!

 

Prayer: Lord, we are so grateful that you modelled sacrificial love for us. When others sin against us, help us extend forgiveness the way you always do. Amen.

 

Selfs my boesemvriend op wie ek vertrou het, wat altyd by my geëet het, het my in die rug gesteek. Psalm 41:10, 1983-vertaling

 

“Everyone turned against Jesus. Though the kiss was planted by Judas, the betrayal was committed by all. Every person took a step, but no one took a stand. As Jesus left the garden he walked alone. The world had turned against him. He was betrayed.” Uittreksel uit Max Lucado se "And the angels were silent." [Almal het teen Jesus gedraai. Alhoewel Judas Hom gesoen het, is die verraad deur almal gepleeg. Almal het 'n tree gegee, maar niemand het standpunt ingeneem nie. Toe Jesus die tuin verlaat het, was Hy alleen. Die wêreld het teen Hom gedraai. Hy is verraai. – vrye vertaling]

 

Verraad maak so seer, want dikwels word dit gepleeg deur diegene wat ons die meeste vertrou en of liefhet.

 

Familie en vriende laat jou in die steek; hulle sê en doen dinge wat jou diep seermaak. Mense wat jy as vriende geag het, ignoreer jou heeltemal. Mede-Christene gedra hulle op 'n manier onversoenbaar met die waarheid van die Woord. Jy steier in ongeloof. Sekerlik sal hulle om verskoning vra? Dawerende stilte.

 

Lucado stel dit so: “It’s a weapon found only in the hands of one you love. … It’s a violation of trust, an inside job.” [Dit is 'n wapen wat slegs gevind word in die hande van die een wat jy liefhet ... Dit is 'n vertrouensbreuk, 'n werk van binne. – vrye vertaling] In 'n professionele konteks kom dit dikwels van diegene met geveinsde, soet glimlagte, totdat jy die pyn van verraad beleef. Gesteelde kontrakte, verdraaide feite, gruwelike dade. Jy het dit nie sien kom nie.

 

Hoe beskerm jy jouself van hierdie pyn? Leef jy maar wagtende vir die onvermydelike: mense gaan jou definitief in die steek laat. Of is daar 'n ander manier?

 

Nie een van ons is volmaak nie, almal het gesondig, en het nie deel aan die heerlikheid van God nie. (Romeine 3:23) Miskien is is dit te verwagte van mense met hulle tekortkominge. Sedert daardie dag in die tuin het menslike gebrokenheid die norm geword, nie die uitsondering nie.

 

Jesus het dit geweet, en volgens Johannes 2:24-25 het Hy hom nie op mense verlaat nie, want Hy het die harte van die mense geken. Dit het Hom egter nie gekeer om ons lief te hê nie.

 

Mag sy voorbeeld ons dring om ons aan God en nie aan mense toe te vertrou nie. Die dissipels van ouds het die Leeu van Juda ontmoet en hulle geloof in Hom geplaas. "Something happens to a man when he stands within inches of the Judean Lion. Something happens when he hears the roar, when he can feel the Lion’s breath,” skryf Lucado. [Iets gebeur met 'n mens wanneer hy so naby die Leeu van Juda staan. Iets gebeur wanneer hy die brul hoor, wanneer hy die Leeu se asem voel. – vrye vertaling]

 

Soos die geval met die dissipels, mag God ons ook help om die krag te vind om meer te wees as wat ons ons ooit kon indink, want Hy is ook ons Verlosser.

Gebed: Here, ons is so dankbaar dat U aan ons wys wat offervaardige liefde is. Wanneer ander teen ons sondig, help ons om hulle te vergewe soos U altyd doen. Amen