The Kiss of Betrayal

Have you ever been betrayed by a friend or a family member? If you are not sure if you have, just look at what Webster has to say it means to be betrayed:

BETRAYAL [bih - trey - al] Verb: 1. To be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining or fulfilling. 2. To disappoint the hopes or expectations of. Be disloyal.

I would suggest that of all the things we experience in life, being betrayed by someone has to be one of the worst feelings. Jeremiah understood this feeling, even when he was trying to do the work of God, he was also betrayed by many...

JEREMIAH 20:10 "For I have heard the whispering of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!” All my trusted friends, Watching for my fall, say: “Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may prevail against him And take our revenge on him.”

Being betrayed is a devastating thing. It can leave you feeling worthless, it can make you angry, bitter and even set you into a depression. It can cause you to second guess yourself, your abilities and certainly it can cause you to second guess your judgement of choosing friends.

Trust is very difficult to get back once it is broken. Once we have been kissed by betrayal, it is difficult to turn the other cheek. For me personally, when I have been betrayed, I want to close out the world and not let anyone in. It is a natural reaction to be hesitant to trust anyone once we have been betrayed.

But Jesus shows us a different way.

Nobody can tell a story of a kiss of betrayal like Jesus can. The kiss that led to His betrayal by a loved friend ultimately took Jesus down the road to the cross. He not only was betrayed by a friend, but He was then persecuted, beaten, and nailed to a cross where He was spit on and was cursed at and left to die.

Despite what His friends said, despite what His enemies did...Jesus still loved them. In fact He loved them to death, He died for them, even though they were His haters.

None of us can be Jesus, but we can strive to be more like Him. When we are talked about, cursed at, and betrayed by those around us we can choose to either become bitter because of it or we can become a better Christian by loving them in despite what they do.

In my life I have been kissed by betrayal, but I choose to be more like Jesus. I choose love and forgiveness.

How about you?

and this has been a piece of my heart today;