Artist Devo: Betrayed (Bobby Bishop)

bobscreen3 Betrayal might be the worst human feeling. You put your best foot forward, trust your convictions, and strive for excellence. Despite your efforts, you end up with a knife in your back because personal gain trumped goodness. My most recent betrayal was gradual, but it stung nonetheless.

We’ve been in our neighborhood for seven years. As I’ve pointed out in past devotionals, we ignored the rules of wise real estate investment when we purchased our 140-year-old money pit. The traditional rule is, if you’re on a tight budget, then purchase a modest house on a nice street. Instead, we purchased a big multi-family fixer-upper on a street with a less-than-desirable reputation. This was, of course, deliberate on our part due to our church plant. Our congregation was filtering in from this particular area, thus, we wanted to be there too. We’ve poured everything and more into the property. Paint, roof, gutters, furnace, plumbing, hot water heaters, water main, bathrooms, and more, have all needed updating. Our children have also unknowingly made sacrifices. It’s a busy corner. We’ve been unable to allow our daughter to ride her bike on or near the street due to heavy traffic. We have a meager yard, so she’s never had a place to run and play. We don’t typically take leisurely strolls after dark, due to high crime. I’ve asked drug dealers to remove themselves from my corner. I’ve asked prostitutes to kindly leave my yard. I’ve stepped in the blood of gunshot victims. We’ve hung on, however, and God has been more than faithful. He put this block on our hearts, and He’s used us to reflect Him. I’ve never expected the neighborhood to “give back,” if that makes any sense. When you love unconditionally, that’s not the motive. This past winter, however, I felt betrayed.

The first incident involved my tools. I’m no handyman, but I try to keep the place neat. I keep the hedges trimmed, grass clipped, and periodically I plant some flowers. I pick up the litter and paint stuff that needs paint. I’m no professional, but I certainly make the effort. To my dismay, I recently discovered that someone had broken into my shed and helped themselves to my hedge trimmer and weed-whacker. I was irritated, however, simultaneously relieved that it was my shed that was chosen and not my car or house.

A month later, I got in my car and realized that someone popped the lock and rifled through my glove box and console. Papers were strewn about, but the only thing that appeared to be missing was a phone charger. No damage done; just a desperate attempt at a quick find. Three days later, however, the police arrived at the door with a suitcase. My suitcase. The one I use for my music merchandise. Dangit, I forgot to check the trunk. Turns out someone stole all of my concert merchandise and dumped it in a snow bank in an alley. All of the shirts and CD’s were soaked. Hundreds of dollars of sales were immediately lost. I felt entirely violated, however, I was relieved that no one had tried to get into my house.

A week later…well, you guessed it. The alarm company called, and it was confirmed that a window was somehow pried open and a laptop was stolen. Thankfully, that was the only thing missing due to the alarm company notification to the police. More importantly, no one was home. My sister, wife, and I were at work, and the kids were at school and daycare. If this had happened in the middle of the night, so help me, I fear any intruder would have received my baseball bat to his face.

For the first time since we moved in, I felt resentful. Betrayed, in fact. We’ve put over fifteen years of service into the one city. For the first time, I didn’t love my city unconditionally.

Jesus must have felt the same way when Judas betrayed Him and Peter denied him. Granted, He knew it was happening, and that it was all a part of a master plan to redeem humanity. That being understood, the word also tells us that Jesus wept when Lazarus died, thus, he displayed a transparent human emotion. I’m inclined to conclude that He was deeply saddened by the betrayal and denial. He’d poured His life into these men, and they were intimate friends (especially Peter.) In our day-to-day lives, as we interact with others in our jobs, homes, streets, and more, are we interjecting a Christ-likeness into our conversations and actions? Or are we somehow in denial about our relationship with Jesus when it doesn’t feel “necessary” to invite Him into the conversation? Are we using language, vulgarities, and more outside of our Christian contexts? These situations are no different that verbally denying His presence in our lives. He put it all out there for our sake. As followers, we need to ensure we are putting Him on display in every corner of our existence. When it feels like a difficult task we need to consider His sacrifice for our redemption, and remember the significance of that suffering on our behalf.

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory” (Romans 8:17 NIV).

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