09
Everyone Has A Price
Kyle Lum“Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.
From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus."
-Matthew26:14-16 (NLT)
Jesus just received an act of worship like never done before, and perhaps never can be replicated; the act by a woman, with very expensive perfume, anointing Jesus in a cultural custom intended for the dead...while He was still alive.
Can you imagine all the “wrong” in the picture?A woman, anointing the Master.With expensive perfume intended for just a drop..poured over Him. In a custom designed for the dead.
What’s up with this?
Yet, Jesus explains very matter of factly, what she is doing, and instead of agreeing that it is a “waste”, commends her and declares that this act of her worship will be memorialized and discussed!
But one man, instead of discussed, has what seems to be, “disgust”.
His recourse? To go to the very people who he knew had the same kind of disgust and hatred for Jesus, and decided to strike up a deal.
“How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?”
Thirty pieces of silver. By today’s standards it’s not much; a few hundred bucks. But in context of time, back then that was about a half years pay.
It was a jackpot...and very tempting. So much so, that Judas decided to profit off of his disgust and resolve it once and for all.
There’s a saying, not sure if I heard it in some old gangster movie or something, but it went like this;
“Everyone has a price.”
Anyone can be bought out if the price were right.Throughout history we have seen and heard of people who betrayed oaths of loyalty, of uprightness, of selfless service, for some kind of price, some kind of reward, some kind of mechanism of pleasure. They exchange their life pledge for something that gives short-term satisfaction.
And more so, if someone is fed up, disgusted, by the situations they find themselves in; an unhappy work condition, a marriage gone bland, a volatile home situation...this gives even more incentive, and the temptation to “sell out” becomes even more appealing...
Judas gave in. He betrayed the Master for what he thought was a jackpot, but after the reality of his actions set in, became so repulsive, he threw the money on the Temple floor, and ended up killing himself.
It never ends good when we betray anyone for a price. For the Lord Jesus. Or for the relationships He places us in.
The juxtaposition of a simple woman expending her worth on Jesus, to a disciple selling out Jesus for a price...sets a picture with sides to choose. Where do we stand? There’s a little bit of both in all of us, and the tug-of-war for our souls will go on for our lifetime until He calls us Home.
Everyone has a price.I had a price...and Jesus paid for it on the Cross. It reminds me how much He loves me with a price that can never be matched...He sold Himself out on behalf of me...I must always remind myself of that, and run to Him and hold on.
Lord Jesus, please forgive me when I am tempted to sell out...in so many situations. Sometimes they are small and insignificant, and some are monumental and stand to cause great harm, yet You have protected me, and never left me in those darkened moments.
I ask that You would strengthen those who wrestle with leaving You for short-term gratification that leads only to emptiness.I pray that they would be led back to You.
You are all we need to truly feel fulfilled and complete. Thank You for the price You paid on the Cross. Amen!
