Kids tattle on each other! My kids are no different. My sister’s kids, that are slightly older than my oldest, have tried to tell my kids that it is often best to work things out with your siblings rather than tattling frequently on little things. In fact, sometimes both kids get in trouble in a tattle situation, and that’s just what happened the other day!!!
Betrayal is far worse than
tattling. Jesus had just washed Judas’s feet when He announced one of his disciples
would betray him. He lovingly didn’t reveal the person’s identity. I think He
also gave Judas one more opportunity to respond to truth, yet Jesus knew Judas
wouldn’t.
John 13:16-21 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his
master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now
that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.18 “I
am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this
is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has
turned against me.’
19 “I
am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will
believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I
tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me
accepts the one who sent me.”
21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and
testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to
betray me.”
There
are so many truths and lessons in this! Jesus lovingly revealed truth without
shaming anyone (further evidenced by the rest of John 13). Jesus also prepared
the other 11 disciples so that they would see yet again how trustworthy He is, recognize
one more prophecy fulfilled, and know it was all used by God to accomplish His purpose.
Wow,
I pray for that kind of love – to especially be able to reveal truth to my kids
and discipline them without shaming them. I also pray I can prepare them well,
so they know they can trust Jesus even when troubles come.
Where
will you pray for help to put this kind of love into practice in your own life?
