Young ladies, you expect your BFF to keep your secret about which boy you have a crush on. How would you feel if she went and told the other kids in the class? Heaven forbid she tells The Boy! (There goes the forever part of BFF!)
Young gentlemen, at recess you expect your best friend to pick you first for his kickball team. How would you feel if he kept choosing other people before you, telling you that you just weren’t good enough? (You would be desperate to kick a home run just to rub it in his face!)
Your heart tightens and you get sick to your stomach just imagining it, don’t you? That’s because you have already experienced it. Whether your friends have hurt you on purpose or accidentally, even in your young life you have felt the sting of betrayal.
Jesus was a human being—just like you—and he knows exactly how much it hurts to be betrayed. “Even my closest friend whom I trusted, the one who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9).
For three years Judas was one of Jesus’ 12 BFFs. They had walked from city to city—together. They had eaten hundreds of meals—together. They had spread the news that the Messiah was here—together. Yet for 30 pieces of silver, Judas kissed Jesus on the cheek and handed him over to his enemies. Betrayed!
When you are hurt, Jesus understands exactly what you are going through because his friend hurt him too. Here’s something important to keep in mind, though: Judas’ betrayal led to Jesus’ death. Jesus’ innocent death paid for the times you hurt your friends—and the times they hurt you. You are all forgiven and can then forgive each other.
