John 2:23-25 (NIV)
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Trust is something that is hard to come by these days. We start out life full of faith and trust that our wants and needs will be met. As time and life happen we soon learn that not everyone will come through on their word, not everyone has our best interest at heart.
This lesson in life is no respecter of persons. Most everyone gets to experience this whether they are the president of the United States, or the beggar on the corner of the highway. Even Jesus experienced it. Just because He had droves of people following Him around witnessing His miracles, did not mean they would actually be His true witnesses. I’m talking about the busy bodies and “looky loos” in your life. Jesus had tons of them. When the rubber met the road, just a few of the so-called fans were on His team when He was dying for their very sins at the cross. He had more haters than lovers, but He still did it.
Sometimes I forget this detail of the gospel. I forget that when Jesus was telling us to love, bless and not curse, and love those that sin against us, He was talking from His very heart and life. He was saying this with full knowledge that among the very community that did life with Him would be backstabbing betrayers. He knew that there would be people that would tell Him that they would never deny Him with one breath, and then less than 24 hours later deny Him not once, but three times. It’s no wonder that the Bible calls Him a man of sorrows and well acquainted with grief.
Yet, even though Judas would betray, and even though the “looky loos” would soon cry, “crucify Him!” He still went to that bloody cross. He still bled for them. He still took all the pain and sin on Himself. He did it with them spitting at Him and watching Him die. He did it with all the love that any being could ever imagine having in their heart.
What a sobering truth, that even though we have betrayed Jesus in our own ways, He still keeps all the betrayers in the story. He didn’t omit the haters and back stabbers. He kept every hurtful detail in the gospel. Ultimately He sees even beyond what we see. He sees our hearts. He discerns our thoughts and sees His grace for you and me. It’s that amazing grace that covers your sins and betrayals, so that when you can receive that grace, you are telling Him and the entire world, “Lord I trust you, even when you could not trust me.”
Would you start of a prayer with me, and then end it with your own words? “Lord, I want to say thank you for everything you have done and continue to do for me. Thank you for being the one I can trust when everyone else has let me down. Thank you for entrusting your life to the Father and dying for me even when I was your enemy. I want to trust you more and more every single day. I receive your grace today…”
Photo Credit: Young Pretty Woman Drinking Coffee near Window in Cafe
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