Friend

We are currently in the season of Lent, and in an attempt to prepare my heart for the death and resurrection I am reading through the episodes leading up to the crucifixion.  This week one image stands out above all the others--the kiss of betrayal in the garden.

Matthew 26:47-56 tells the story--Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples as Judas approaches with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs on orders to arrest this revolutionary.  Judas approaches Jesus and greets him with a kiss.  And Jesus' reply is, "Friend, do what you came for."

Friend?!  Really Jesus?!  Even to one of your closest followers who has just sold you out to the authorities--friend?  Even as he is stabbing the knife into your back--friend?  Even as he does it with something as intimate as a kiss--friend?  Even as he profits from your death--friend?

Jesus and Judas' embrace in the garden is a stunning example of Jesus' radical message of love and forgiveness.  His teaching to love your enemies was not mere words but it was the blood that pulsed through his veins--blood that in a matter of hours would be shed for the forgiveness of his friend Judas.

I suppose I shouldn't be as stunned as I am with this passage.  After all Jesus is the friend of sinners, and if I pause long enough to analyze my day and the decisions that I make I realize that I betray Jesus just like Judas did.  I sell out to the American dream or I sell out to my own selfish desires or I sell out for the acceptance of others or I sell out for even a few dollars.  And when I do--each and every time--Jesus whispers in my ear, "friend".  And if I am listening--that word drops me to my knees at the foot of the cross, and I cry out for his loving, grace-filled, forgiving blood to pour down over me--the blood that was shed to wash away Judas' sins and mine.  That simple word whispered from the lips of Jesus--friend--is a reminder to return home to the loving, forgiving friendship that God desires to have with you and with me.  Whether or not Judas embraced that friendship is an age-old debate--whether or not you and I will embrace that friendship is entirely up to you and I.

Temptation

Last week my wife, Caroline, bought ice cream.  This little fact may seem inconsequential to you--but it is a significant issue for me.  I love ice cream.  One of my favorite things to do in life is scoop myself a big bowl of ice cream, recline on my sofa, and watch a rerun of Seinfeld.  I am a simple man with simple pleasures.  However, in spite of the enjoyment ice cream brings me, I do not want it in my house.  We make an effort to not keep ice cream in the freezer because I know that I am not yet strong enough to resist the temptation it brings.  Undoubtedly 11pm rolls around, my feet are propped up on the couch, Kramer stumbles into Jerry's apartment, and I can hear the chocolate chip-cookie-dough calling my name--within seconds I am back on the couch, ice cream in hand.

Temptation . . . it comes in all shapes and sizes.  But how are we to deal with it?

Genesis 39:1-20 tells us the story of how Joseph responded to temptation.  The story goes like this: Joseph is the lead servant in his master's house.  One day his master's wife comes onto him wanting to sleep with him.  A close reading of the text reveals Joseph's 3 tiered response to this sexual temptation.  The first time she tempts him he refuses and explains to her his reasons for resisting (v8-9).  However, she keeps pressuring Joseph day after day to sleep with her, he continues to refuse, while in verse 10 we see tier 2 of his response--"he kept out of her way as much as possible."  By this time Joseph had learned that to simply refuse her was not an effective strategy, so he stepped it up a notch, and tried his best to avoid her.  Unfortunately, this woman had nothing better to do than pursue Joseph so she trapped him one day when no one was around--she grabbed his coat and demanded that he sleep with her--and at this Joseph stepped up to his third level of response and ran away leaving his coat in her arms.  The story continues and Joseph ends up in prison being falsely accused of sleeping with his master's wife.  But what stood out to me in the story is Joseph's strategy when it came to resisting temptation.  First, he said no and thoroughly explained himself. The pressure was even stronger so Joseph avoided the source of the temptation.  The tempter cornered Joseph and he ran away.

Life poses us countless temptations in a day.  Many we can simply say no to, but when we learn that a no will not work we need to avoid these situations, and when avoidance is inevitable we need to swallow our pride and run.

I am not sure what this means for my ice cream issue.  I have said no, and tried to avoid it--I purposefully don't bring it into my house.  But it seems to be cornering me, so I guess I need to run away.  I hope Caroline doesn't get the wrong idea, but I am going for a run. . . .