DECEMBER 19 - Betrayed for a Price
3-Year-Bible Reading: Proverbs 30:10; Psalm 145; Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11:12–13; Matthew 26:14–15
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“Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” — Psalm 41:9
“Then I said to them, ‘If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.’ And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—the lordly price at which I was priced by them.” — Zechariah 11:12–13
“Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?’ And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.” — Matthew 26:14–15
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Have you ever had someone betray your trust—maybe a friend who turned their back on you or said something behind your back? It stings, right? In Psalm 41:9, David talks about this pain, and it points ahead to the ultimate betrayal of Jesus by Judas. The price? Thirty pieces of silver—just like the symbolic amount in Zechariah 11.
Jesus, the one who healed the sick, loved the outcasts, and never sinned, was sold out by a close friend in Matthew 26. And yet, through all of this, God's plan of redemption was unfolding. When betrayal enters our lives, it's easy to feel crushed, but the story of Jesus shows us that even betrayal can be part of a bigger story—one of love, grace, and ultimate victory.
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THINK ABOUT IT
1. Recognizing Betrayal Hurts: Jesus knows what it's like to be betrayed. If you're dealing with that pain, you're not alone. How does knowing Jesus experienced betrayal help you deal with your own?
2. God’s Plan is Bigger: Judas saw a quick reward; God saw redemption. How might God be using a difficult situation in your life for something bigger?
3. Faithfulness Over Fame: In a world where popularity can tempt us to trade loyalty for likes, what would it look like to be a faithful friend like Jesus?
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BOTTOM LINE
Even when people fail us, God never does. He sees the hurt, knows the whole story, and can turn betrayal into a breakthrough.
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PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for understanding what it’s like to be hurt by someone close. Help me to forgive like You do and to stay faithful even when others aren’t. Remind me that You never leave me and that Your plans are always greater than the pain. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.