Joe slumped to the floor, the life choked out of him, a victim of a terrible game young people play, called the Choking Game, or Blackout Challenge. The act of intentionally cutting off the source of oxygen to the brain to induce a temporary loss of consciousness and euphoria backfired on him. Joe died through a tragic accident

“I’m not going to live to see thirty,” he had rashly told his best childhood friend, my oldest son. Was that why he was such a risk taker? I don’t think he meant to die just yet; he was happy to start a new job as a flag person on the highways the following week, in the area near New Denver, British Columbia, Canada, where he lived, twenty-six years ago now. His parents had earlier described him as “doing well”. You could say he was betrayed, deceived by his desire to seek a thrill. Of course, no one will ever know for sure.

Jesus, too, was betrayed, but by one of his disciples.

“As they [the disciples] were at the table eating, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.’ Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, ‘Am I the one?’ He replied, ‘It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!’ ” (Mark 14:18-21 NLT)

“Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.” (Psalm 41:9 NLT)

Judas intentionally made the choice to betray Jesus. Why? How could a friend do that? Perhaps he finally realized that Jesus was not going to establish an earthly kingdom, and that he would not have the important position he and the other disciples thought they would have. In charge of the disciples’ funds, he often dipped into them for himself (John 12:6) He was greedy, not only for money, but for status, and sought the favour of the religious leaders by offering to betray Jesus to them.

Later, Judas was torn by remorse, but it seemed too late to reverse his action. The leading priests were not interested in his attempt to return the thirty pieces of silver, the price for Jesus’ betrayal. Instead of putting his trust in the Lord Jesus and in His plan for a spiritual kingdom, he put his trust in things of a temporal nature. Judas could have sought forgiveness for betraying Jesus, but instead, he rushed off and hanged himself.

It’s so easy to put our trust in a passing fad, in our feelings, in other people, or in our circumstances. We can be so easily deceived and betrayed by things of a fleeting nature. Let’s, instead, put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only one who will not betray us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, may we always keep our trust in You, and not in the fleeting things of this world. Help us to be alert, so as not to be deceived and betrayed. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

Alice Burnett
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada