Worst Deal Ever

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. (Matthew 24:15-16)

As we approach Good Friday this week, I will revisit the betrayal of Jesus. Judas accepted 30 pieces of sliver in exchange for "handing Jesus over" to His enemies. No matter how many times we read about it, it's very difficult to believe. How could Judas do it? Matthew makes it clear that Judas was filled with regret and attempted to return the silver (Matthew 27:3) when he saw that Jesus was condemned. What seemed like a good deal was clearly a mistake. The Bible is filled with "bad exchanges". Esau exchanged his birthright blessing for some bread and stew (Genesis 25:34). Making decisions based upon what satisfies us in the moment is seldom a good idea. It's a good week to ponder what it means to choose to follow Jesus. It's not a short term decision. It's not a decision we make based upon some momentary benefit. The consequences are eternal. In order to choose Jesus, it is helpful to weigh the competition wisely. Do we really think we will be better off following something or someone other than Jesus? While pondering his fate in the belly of a fish, Jonah yields some wise counsel. "Those who cling to idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs" (Jonah 2:8).