There is beautiful Jesus. He’s on His way to Jerusalem when ten lepers call out to Him: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
You know the rest of the story- He heals them. And yet, out of the ten only one comes back to thank Jesus. Only one.
Jesus doesn’t become bitter. He doesn’t preach a million sermons about how ungrateful people are. He doesn’t stop healing. And He sure doesn’t stop doing good.
In His beautiful heart He knew all about who Judas was.
He knew Judas was stealing from Him.
He knew Judas would betray Him- and yet still He walked with him- and Loved him…
People will hurt you.
And maybe only one out of ten people will thank you for your help.
There will be times you bend over backwards to help folks- to be there for them- to love them as much as you know how and they will turn around and crucify you. They did it to Jesus-
And you know what? He didn’t examine Himself and wonder what He’d done wrong. He didn’t beat Himself about the ingratitude of those He served- because He knew and understood how fallen we humans are- but even more than that nothing could stop Him from Loving us as fiercely as He did when He walked this earth- and still does today.
The only way we can love and serve and give the way He did is to have Him love through us- any other way is utterly impossible.
Because what do you do when your best friend turns on you?
What do you do when those you poured your life out for turn around and axe you in the back?
What do you do when those you opened yourself up to- welcomed into your home- ate with- betray you in ways you never thought possible?
For most of us the answer would that we’d be extremely hurt. And we’d probably get bitter. And angry. And resentful.
Then we’d seal our hearts.
We’d build a severe mistrust of people- not allowing anyone in- and if we did they’d have to jump a gazillion hoops to ever win us over…
That’s no way to live.
If most of us are truly honest- we’ll admit that we too have hurt others- even betrayed those who loved, respected, trusted and honoured us. Maybe we didn’t do it intentionally but still we caused harm. And hurt.
We all need grace.
Michael Card once sang: “Only a friend can betray a friend, a stranger has nothing to gain. And only a friend comes close enough, to ever cause so much pain.”
Does that mean that we stop loving? I hope not.
Because what if Jesus stopped loving us?
What if the disappointment and let downs he experienced from people caused Him to turn around and say: “I’m done with this lot!”
Where would any of us be then?
I pray Daddy God would pour His healing balm over your heart. That the wounds others inflicted on you would be sealed and healed forever.
I pray that You would have the willingness to let Jesus love through you the way He continued to love those who showed Him no gratitude, those who rejected Him, those who hurt Him worse than anyone should ever experience… May You be filled with His kind of Love. Because it’ll set you free.
Hannah Viviers is the Creator and Host of the Dream BIG TV Show