In my opinion, the very first thing you should do before passing judgment or deciding how to respond when anyone betrays you (and trust me, it WILL happen to even the best of us at least once in life) is follow my “Peter v. Judas For The Dummies” system:
Simon Peter denied knowing Jesus three times out of fear. He was sorry, repented, was forgiven and restored, and went on to become one of THE most faithful Christian leaders in the history of forever.
Peter was SORRY!
Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus with a kiss after agreeing to hand Him over for 30 freakin’ pieces of silver. Matthew tells us he felt remorse, returned the money, and acknowledged that he had betrayed innocent blood. He later died by suicide.
Remorse and restoration are NOT the same!
(Changed behavior matters!)
They BOTH betrayed Jesus … BUT … Peter’s story is an example of how forgiveness and grace can be shown when there is true remorse and a resulting change in behavior. It reminds me that even after serious mistakes, GENUINE repentance and a TRUE desire for forgiveness can open the door to restoration.
For me, the lesson is that feeling sorry and rebuilding trust are different things. Although we should forgive them (if for no other reason than clearing our OWN conscience), we must always use discernment when considering any further relationship with them.
So, who are the Peters or Judases in YOUR life? More importantly, who have you been to others? Peter … or Judas? I can admit that I’ve been both at different points in my journey, but thankfully I’ve grown past my Judas-y, “poor ‘lil victim” days gone by. Accountability is one of the best things I have for breakfast these days (even when it hurts to swallow).
