Devotional By Josh Haigle, Southside Baptist Church

Last week was a very influential in for us as humans. Jesus comes to Jerusalem as a king, washes His disciples’ feet, has the Last Supper with disciples, He is betrayed by a friend, beaten and nailed to a cross, died for my sins and your sins and rose again after 3 days. Let’s take a closer look at where Jesus is betrayed. Judas agrees to betray Jesus and still has the nerve to go to supper with Him. How did Jesus treat him even though He knew what was fixing to happen the next several days? I don’t know about you but I don’t think I could be nice to someone who I knew had done something so hateful to me but Jesus did! He loves Judas despite his short comings and mistakes. He made Judas feel welcome at His table.

Let’s think about all the people we come in contact with every day and throughout our lifetime. We don’t get to decide who all we meet but what we do get to decide is how we treat them! What about the people that we come in contact with that we don’t care for or don’t even like? How do we treat them? Do we still show them love and welcome them in or are we hateful and hurtful? Do you know what one of the biggest diseases in the world is? Well it is not the Corona virus. Hatred is one of the most contagious diseases that this world had ever seen. When was the last time you encountered someone you didn’t like or even considered an enemy? How did you treat them? How did your friends feel about this person? Did they share your feelings for this person?

Matthew 5:43-45 says “Jesus said you have heard it said love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” If someone that you may consider an enemy feels welcome around you then you are doing what you are called to do. Are we quick to see the Judas in other or can we follow Jesus’ example and love the sinner. You know what if Jesus wouldn’t have shown love to His enemies last week I know I would be in trouble because I was a reason He was up there on that cross. I leave you with a final verse. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death BUT the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”