One Word at a Time

Whether we like it or not, whether we want to or not, we all worry about our reputation. What do people think of us? Obviously, we want them to think the best. We want people to think good things about us. We want them to think we are nice, or smart, or attractive, or “fill in the blank with something else good here.” No one goes around wanting people to think negative things about them. Even if someone says they don’t care what someone thinks about them, we all know that they do. It’s part of being human.

We try our hardest to keep the ugly things about ourselves a secret. We put our best selves and our best faces forward whenever we are around people. Only the closest friends and family ever get to see the ugly secrets, the less than perfect, and then, only if we allow them to. The truth is, it is impossible for anyone to know everything about us. That includes the good, the bad, and the ugly. We hide what we don’t want them to see, or people simply don’t take the time to learn everything. Only one person can know everything, and that is because He is omniscient. God knows all of the good, the bad, the ugly, and even the ugliest, about each and every one of us. He knows our reputation, and more.

What do we think/do with someone else’s reputation? If someone tells us positive things about someone, we are likely to believe it, even if we haven’t met them. Likewise, if we hear negative things, we try to avoid this person to save ourselves the drama or pain associating with them might cause us. We even tell kids and teens to choose their friends wisely, and then we celebrate when they do.

How terrifying would it be to meet someone who was omniscient, who just knew everything we wanted to hide? On the contrary, how much easier would it be for us, for kids, to choose our friends wisely if we were omniscient? How much drama and heartache could we avoid if we knew everything about someone from the beginning? Jesus had this power when He chose His disciples. He knew everything they had done and everything they would do. He knew which one would betray Him before He even picked him. Jesus knew how much money Judas would receive and what the consequences of that betrayal would be. He knew it would be His life. He knew that the death would be gruesome and horrible. He knew the night of the Last Supper that the moment was approaching, but Judas was welcomed in, got his feet washed like everyone else, and ate like everyone else. Jesus had the omniscience to know what would happen, but He picked Judas anyway.

This Easter, I have been dwelling on the fact that Jesus knew what would happen and could have picked someone else to be His disciple to avoid the betrayal and crucifixion. So why didn’t He? Why did He welcome Judas in? Why did He wash Judas’s feet, and feed him the very night of the betrayal? I can only come up with a one-word answer.

Love.

Love for all of us, despite knowing the bad, the ugly, and the ugliest.

Love is what sent Him to that cross. Love is what kept Him from avoiding the punishment that should have been ours. Love is what creates a way for us to choose Him.

So what do we do with it?

First, we have to accept that even though He knows everything about us, God still loves us and wants us to choose Him. We can’t do anything to earn this love; it is a gift. And only by accepting this gift can we be saved from our ugliest selves.

Second, we need to show this love to others, even, and especially, to those with bad reputations. Yes, we need to be careful, and we should continue to guide and teach those around us to be careful, as we don’t want to allow ourselves to be influenced by someone else’s poor decisions. But, these people need to be loved. They need to know someone cares, regardless of what they’ve done. Remember, you’ve done ugly things too, and still, Jesus cared and loved you enough to go to the cross on your behalf.

Next time someone with a less than perfect reputation is headed your way, take just a moment and remember love. Remember your own ugliness. Remember you can’t know the whole story. Remember there is only One who can know the whole story. And what did He do?

He loved you enough to pick Judas anyway.