How much were you paid? – RHETORICS
Every Easter season, we get in the mood to dunk on Judas Iscariot. He was paid just thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus.
Not thirty Bitcoins. Thirty pieces of silver.
But then doesn’t he deserve it?
Doesn’t he deserve the disrespect and abuse? Why would you flip on someone who has treated you with nothing but kindness and respect?
Imagine getting to become friends with a revolutionary. Not just friends, but one of the closest twelve people to him. What else can you ask for?
Everywhere you get to, there is a crowd cheering you and the team on. The last time you came into Jerusalem, people were taking off their clothes and laying them on the ground. And because you were part of the crew, you got to walk on those clothes too.
You were “glorified by association”. What honor could be greater?
Yet, in exchange for twelve pieces of silver, you sold out a friend. You got paid the price of blood. And your name goes down in history to be synonymous with betrayal.
What is the benefit of twelve pieces of silver now? Can it buy you peace of mind?
Who would be welcoming of someone who cost a friend their life just for cash? How do you expect people to ever respect you again?
They say be careful of those who sell their friends for cheap to you. They won’t hesitate to sell you too.
Isn’t this a classic example of that?
Whatever you have to say about Judas Iscariot, at least he got paid something.
By the way, how much were you paid the last time you betrayed your friends, your values, or yourself?
What did you gain by selling out your friends?
Did your new friends treat you better? The attention you got in that instant, didn’t it eventually wear off? The people you earned their trust by selling other’s secrets, how quickly did they start cutting you out of the loop?
When you sold your values for cash, position, and power, were you satisfied with the trade?
Was your conscience at ease or did you silence and deaden your conscience? Was the position and power enough compensation for the fact that your heart was bleeding? Were you fine with what you saw in the mirror each morning you woke up?
And in betraying yourself and loved ones, was it worth it?
How did you feel lying to yourself every day? Did you put the blame on others or did you bear the brunt yourself? And when you smile as you lie to others about why you took that decision, do your cheeks hurt, or you are used to the feeling?
At least, Judas’ betrayal and being paid that cheap resulted in salvation for mankind.
What is the fruit of your own betrayal? Who gains from you selling out everyone and everything you hold dear? And do you now believe the lie you tell yourself and others, or are you fine with knowing you are living a lie?
Wilson Joshua is a Video Editor, Content Creator, and Creative Writer.
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