NO ONE LOOKED AT JUDAS

Jesus and His disciples had gone into the upper room for the Passover meal. As they were there at supper, dipping their hands in the dish, Jesus pointed out that one of the twelve present would betray Him. Even when our Lord said, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with Me will betray Me" (Matthew 26: 23), no one looked at Judas!

Where did they look? Each disciple looked within himself. "And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to Him one after the another, ‘Is it I, Lord’" (Matthew 26: 22)? Perhaps they were afraid, even after three years with Jesus, they had weakness within instead of the strength they ought to have had. We know Peter found his character flaw that very same night as he denied even knowing the Christ, and this he did three times!

I find it interesting that the disciples evidently did not start to try to place the guilt of betrayal on any other guest at the meal. Each man looked to himself and questioned his own dependability and loyalty.

When there are faults in the church, in our relationships, in our families, etc., who do we blame? Instead of blame, should we not each look within ourselves rather than trying to find a Judas to saddle with the guilt of our failures? When a need is not met, a job not done, a ministry unfulfilled, a broken heart not comforted, a lost soul not taught, don’t look for another to blame. Just murmur, "Is it I, Lord?"

- Floyd Lord