Devotion

Two Faces
The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove. --- John 18:3

All it takes is one untrustworthy person to initiate trouble. Seeming both bold and sly in his actions, he is a coward who is seeking self-gratification or a reward. He secures his betrayal by using two faces. One face plays the persuasive role of earning your trust. Your trust helps make the headway to the betrayal more enticing to him. The second face draws to him the security of supporters who are misinformed with his lies. Judas used two faces and had a lot of company with him to betray Jesus and have Him arrested. But isn't that usually the way of cowards? Seeing greatness within someone else and lacking such within themselves, they do what it takes to destroy a person and then rejoice over their afflictions. What is sad about this is that the betrayer almost always ends up hanging himself! Just ask Judas. Oh, that's right! You can't ask Judas because he hung himself after realizing his actions caused the innocent Savior to be condemned to die. He initiated the death of the One Who came to save him! Death is not the only way to hang yourself if you are a betrayer. Prayerfully, the people you harm will be of a forgiving spirit. But what is in store for you if there comes a time when you need some help and the people who can help you are those whose trust you've lost? You will have hung yourself. Don't let the adversary use you for his selfish gain. Let the light and love of Jesus fill you with confidence and gratitude for who you can be in Christ - that is, a child of God!