Psalm 55:12-14
This isn’t the neighborhood bully
mocking me—I could take that.
This isn’t a foreign devil spitting
invective—I could tune that out.
It’s you! We grew up together!
You! My best friend!
Those long hours of leisure as we walked
arm in arm, God a third party to our conversation.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Several decades ago, Greg and I sold a house we owned to the brother of an acquaintance. Because we felt we knew this family fairly well, we provided owner financing. Pretty quickly, the monthly payments started showing up late… and then they stopped altogether. There was always an excuse… “the check was in the mail” and more. But in the end, we learned that the buyer had no intention of paying his bills and had pretty much moved on and left the house – and his family - behind. He had lied to his wife, and she apparently had no clue that the house payments were not being made on time each month – much less that they were not paid at all! As betrayed as we felt, I’m sure she felt even worse. The man she had married… the father of her children… had deceived her and put the livelihood of the entire family in jeopardy.
I am sure you can think of a time when a close friend or family member has betrayed your trust… and hurt you deeply. My hope would be that it was over something petty, like a bit of news you asked them to keep quiet… and they shared with the first person they met. But often, the hurts and betrayals are far worse. These are all prime examples of incredible disrespect. And when it comes at the hands of a close friend or family member, the pain and disappointment are greatly magnified.
Until I read a passage in Anne Graham Lotz’ book Just Give Me Jesus that referenced these scripture verses from Psalms 55, I had never realized that they foretell Jesus’ betrayal by Judas. Lotz maintains that Judas was one of Jesus’ best friends… a favored disciple who helped Him feed the masses with the fish and five loaves…a trusted companion who traveled with Him and ministered to countless people along the way… someone who prayed with Jesus, ate with Him, and no doubt shared incredibly intimate conversations about God and His plans for all of us. And yet, scripture tells us that Judas took his own life because of his mistake… and he ended up in hell for all of his transgressions.
Lotz explains that Judas asked forgiveness… of the priests and rulers. He threw the thirty silver coins at their feet after Jesus was arrested… and he begged their forgiveness. The problem was that Judas did not ask JESUS to forgive Him. We must confess our sins to Jesus and ask for His forgiveness in order to be absolved. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go to the person we have hurt or betrayed and ask for their mercy and understanding. And it certainly doesn’t mean we can live as we please, hurt whoever happens to be in the way, and apologize later!
We must think about our relationships… both earthly and heavenly. We must get our priorities straight and make every effort to honor these associations… to give them our utmost respect at all times. No lie or deception is acceptable…no words spoken disrespectfully or “out of turn” can be tolerated. We are called to a higher standard… we are expected to treat others as we would wish to be treated – at all times and in all places. This means we speak kindly, honor our commitments, and guard and value the integrity of our relationships! And it means that we answer to God first and foremost… which will often result in taking care of the rest of our associations!
I encourage you to think about your own relationships… not so much in terms of who has disrespected you, but more in the context of who YOU have disrespected. Do you need to spend some time at the feet of Jesus, baring your soul and confessing your indiscretions toward others – and toward Him? Do you have relationships you need to mend… people you owe an apology… circumstances where you should make a concerted effort to do better and try harder?
This is a month when we think a lot about gratitude and thanks. Isn’t this the perfect time to express yours by making amends where necessary? Are you certain you are truly forgiven… by others, and more importantly – by God? Isn’t it time you made sure of it?
©2013 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment