Stabbed in the Back

John 13:16-20

When Jesus had washed the disciples' feet, he said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me. From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

Being stabbed in the back is not something easy to deal with. You probably already know this, but if you don't consider yourself lucky. It hurts particularly when it is done by someone you love very much. I remember a time I was in this band and our lead singer decided that he was going to quit. We new he would eventually because he was planning on moving out of state but he never would give us an official word on when he was leaving. Some of us actually wondered if he was going to move at all and maybe decided to stay in the band. Well, he did leave and we were okay with that but the worst part was he just stopped participating. Face to face everything seemed to be fine but we stopped playing live. We figured that it was just bad luck or something. Actually he just stopped booking the band because in a way he had already quit. I would have to say that for being "stabbed in the back" this was pretty mild. I have heard horrendous stories in music business. All things considered I think I was lucky, but my heart was broken none-the-less. We had been building momentum locally and then all of a sudden, WHAM! We basically felt we had to start from scratch.

Reading this scripture here though I can't imagine what Jesus was going through. I mean He knew who and what was going to happen, and He still proceeded to go forward with his mission. He could have outed Judas at any time, but that's not what love does. Love looks past everything. It's hard to do in the world that we live in today. Everything is supposed to be "fair". I chuckle a bit typing that and reflect on what my mother taught me. "Honey, nothing in life is ever fair", she would say. My mother would also be the one to remind me to love like Jesus. Maybe you're like me and wonder why. Why bother trying to love someone that stabs you in the back? Why love when life isn't fair? It's a tough subject to grapple with. I am no Biblical scholar but this is my take from what I get from Jesus. First you should love people who betray you because it makes you a better person. Second holding on to grudges does nothing but brings you down spiritually and emotionally. Third, no one is perfect and everyone, even you, need forgiveness. If Jesus could take what he took on the cross for all of us why can't I forgive over much smaller things?

Jesus,

Thank you, I love you. You make me a better person when I follow your teachings. Thank you for your sacrifice on the cross so that I can join you in heaven. Help me to love. Sometimes my heart is just so hurt and becomes hard that it is difficult to love and forgive. I want to love like you love. I offer up all my work, joys and sufferings today for those that are hurt. I pray that you will mend their hearts and that they will forgive those that have hurt them. Maybe if we would all start loving and forgiving a bit more this world would be a better place, no, I know it would.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,

Amen