Today’s scripture: Matthew 17:22-23 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Brent Walsh):
Why is it that betrayal seems to hurt worse than most other offenses?
In our passage today we see that Jesus is trying to prepare the disciples for what was to come. With everything else that Jesus had to go through to secure redemption for humankind, why was betrayal part of the deal? Maybe it’s because betrayal attacks the core of a person and mercilessly drops them to their knees. Could it be that in Jesus’ case, the pain of betrayal made everything that was to follow feel less painful in its wake?
The passage says, “When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.’ And the disciples were filled with grief.” We see that no one seemed to notice the last part of his statement about being raised again to life! This is a shocking prediction! Yet the idea of betrayal and death seems to overpower any promise of resurrection in the minds of the disciples. Regardless of the fact that Jesus knew the betrayal was going to take place, I wonder if there was part of him that took it personally.
I think it’s fair to say that the act of blatant, intentional betrayal has more to do with the betrayer than the betrayed. Whether a person “deserves” it or not is not even an issue. Somehow the person committing the act has justified his/her behavior and has deemed it necessary — or maybe just convenient — in order to get what they want.
But what if the person who has betrayed you didn’t realize they were doing something to make you feel that way? Maybe they promised you the moon when you were dating, and then failed to live up to their promises? Maybe they sold you a vehicle for a super low price because “you’re a friend,” only to have the transmission go out a week later. Maybe they inadvertently repeated something you told them in confidence. Maybe they developed a friendship with you in order to get close to your sister so they could ask her out.
But the worst kind of heartache is when you feel that God has betrayed you. You prayed earnestly for the healing of a loved one, only to have them die in your arms. You put your finances and reputation on the line for the sake of the church, only to learn that the leadership was taking advantage of you. You raise your children to be responsible citizens, then watch helplessly as they waste away their adulthood. You devote your life to a mission field, only to have the village burn to the ground.
In what way do you feel betrayed? If you have been deliberately betrayed by someone, take the situation to God and ask for guidance on how to heal from the pain. If someone has unintentionally betrayed you, ask if you can share your feelings. You might find that your friendship is strengthened as a result. If you feel that God has betrayed you, don’t be afraid to express yourself honestly. God is not threatened by your emotions, so talk frankly and openly about your pain.
Thought for the day: Think of an instance where you’re harboring some hurt over being betrayed. How can you begin to make it better?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.