peace . love . joy

Why don't many people like to discuss about Judas? What's wrong with him?

Is he so butt ugly that no one wants to 'immortalize' him in black and white?

Is there much controversy surrounding him?

Maybe.

Or maybe we simply prefer not to look at a face we know so well and have come to feel ashamed of. Maybe we avoid an in-depth study on Judas for fear we will recognise someone else in his character.
Maybe we are afraid we will see ourselves.

Is that perhaps why we engage in speculations that it wasn't Judas' fault, but really God's doing? That Judas was really manipulated by God? That God made Judas betray Jesus just so He could save the rest of humanity? And then, oh, I don't know, we apply those very speculations to our own lives?

Isn't it great to blame God everytime we do something wrong?
"Oh, I had no choice! See, God has 'predestined' my days for me - including those in which I will sin."
"I had no say: God knows everything! Therefore why did He not stop me when I was tempted and sinned in the end? It is not my fault."
"Ah, God must allow me to commit this sin for a reason. It's His reason, not mine."

Isn't it just fine to say we have no agency, and that we are all manipulated by God.

Isn't it fantastic to just pick ourselves up, dust off the dirt and push it all to God?

The next time you are tempted to manipulate others around you just so you can get your own way,
the next time you are tempted to lie or 'fake it' to gain something or to be excused from something,
the next time you are tempted to 'play down' or flatly deny your identity in Christ,
think about Judas.
Don't entertain arguments you probably never will find the answer to, or maybe you're just too blind to see the Truth.
Instead, look hard into the face of the one who betrayed Jesus.
See if you don't see yourself.

Then turn to face the one who was betrayed - Jesus the Christ.

Depressing, isn't it?
I'd say we've all had our fair share of betraying or abandoning our God and Savior, Friend.
Maybe you wouldn't call it 'betraying' or 'abandoning', maybe if I used the word 'hurting' or 'saddening' you would understand.

Want to know the wonderful part? The part that will warm the cockles of your heart, but not enough to give you a heart attack, is this:
Jesus is not looking at you the way you are looking at yourself now.

'Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him. Jesus replied,
"Friend,
do what you came for."'
~ Matthew 26: 49-50

Friend. Jesus called Judas "friend". Not "Judas", not "man", not "betrayer".
Friend.

Even though we have killed Him, hurt Him, and maybe even made Him cry, Jesus calls us "friend".

So much in one simple word.

How do you respond to that?