Betrayed

Betrayal hurts. When we trust someone we put our heart on the line and there is always the possibility of pain. Friends are human and they sometimes save their own skin without counting the cost for anyone else. Sometimes they make poor decisions without regards to the outcome. It happens to all of us at some time or another. Even Jesus was betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver.


Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.’’ Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. ~Matt 26:48-49

Not only was He ratted out by Judas, but He was also deserted by His friends. “Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” ~ Matt 26:56 Even to the end of His life on earth He was experiencing true human nature and it hurt Him as much as it hurts us when it happens in our lives. He knows exactly what we are going through when this happens.

The difference between us and Jesus is that He continued to love and care during this ordeal. Jesus asked, “What have you done friend?” He then allowed the situation to play out. We humans tend to shut ourselves off when something like this happens. We get angry and lash out. Sometimes we walk away and become bitter. Whether we admit it or not, we are fragile and when a friend disappoints us it creates cracks in our heart and often those cracks are hard to fill and fix.

So what do we do when the worst happens and a friend lets us down? We remember that there is a friend closer than a brother (Prov 19:24). When it happens we need to run to Him and let Him fill the broken spots in our heart that the betrayal created. It is in this filling of the fissures with Jesus’ love that we heal and are able to go back out into the world and trust again.

It’s not easy and often takes months of allowing Jesus to mend our broken heart before we are able to move on. As much pain as it causes and as hard as it is to heal, though, I think that this tremulous aspect of loving and caring is a major part of our experience here on earth. It is only in the loving, being hurt, and learning to love again that we truly live.