Dear Christian Mentor, Can you walk with me through Lent? (Day 42 Betrayal)
Betrayal
"Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went ot the chief priest and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver him over ot you?’ And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity ot betray him.” ~ Matthew 26:14-16
Dear Christian Mentor,
I have participated in Lent many times, but it often feels like something I should do rather than an experience that draws me closer to the Lord. Can you walk with me through the season of Lent?
Dear Mentee,
It’s easy to look at Judas as a monster or villain, but in Matthew 26:14-16, we are reminded he was one of the twelve. He walked the same dusty road as Peter and John, witnessed the same miracles, and heard the same sermons Jesus preached. Yet in a quiet moment of calculations, he walked away from the light and into the shadows.
“What will you give me?” Judas questioned.
He wasn’t just trading Jesus; he was valuing Him. He weighed the son of God against thirty pieces of silver and decided the silver was worth more.
We often think we could never do what Judas did, but betrayal starts in the quiet corners of the heart, where we begin to value our own comfort, reputation, or financial security more than our loyalty to Christ. Every time we ask the world, ‘What will you give me if I compromise?’ we are standing in the same room with the chief priests.
The tragedy of Judas isn’t just the betrayal; it’s the missed opportunity. While Judas was calculating the price of Jesus’ life, Jesus was preparing to pay the price for Judas’ soul.
Today’s Promise: Even in our moments of quiet compromise, Jesus does not turn away from us. He is not surprised by our weakness or our wandering heart. While Judas moved toward betrayal, Jesus was already moving toward the cross—choosing love, mercy, and redemption. The promise is this: when we turn back to Him, we are met not with condemnation, but with grace.
Application Questions:
Where in my life am I tempted to ask, “What will you give me if I compromise?”
Have I been valuing comfort, approval, or security more than obedience to Christ?
What quiet decisions or thought patterns are pulling my heart away from Him?
Today’s Fast:
Fast from compromise. Pay attention to the small decisions today—especially the ones no one else sees. When you feel tempted to choose comfort, approval, or control over obedience to Christ, pause and choose faithfulness instead.
~ Christian Mentor
