I have always thought of Judas as an easy-to-hate person. I have always painted him as evil from the inside out. I have always thought of Peter as a bold and passionate evangelist. One that is above others in his pursuit of sharing the Gospel.
Up until recently, I realized that there is only one main difference between the two. Peter chose to accept the grace Jesus extended, while Judas chose to drown in his anguish.
Both men failed miserably, but Peter (whom I believe to be full of grit) allowed himself to be forgiven. He accepted the grace of God. He then became one of the most pivotal people in spreading the Gospel and creating the first-century church. This is what happens when grit meets grace.
Judas chose to take his own life and not accept the grace that Jesus extends to each and every one of us. When I think about these two men, they aren’t that different at all. They were trained by Jesus, listened to Him, followed Him, and performed miracles alongside Him, but most of all, saw firsthand the love and affection He has for His children. Yet only one accepted grace.
Another amazing to me is this, Jesus knew what was ahead of both these men, and He didn’t wavier in His love for them. The extent of the Christian walk isn’t just about loving Jesus or the disciples who moved forward with the work the Lord set them to; it’s also about loving Judas.
I encourage you to hold onto this Peter and Judas comparison as a reminder that the only difference between the two is the acceptance of grace, and the outcome forever changed each of their own eternities.
So, how do we teach our children this when we, as adults, struggle to comprehend the magnitude of this kind of love? I recommend praying together as a family and asking Jesus to one transform our hearts into having the perfect balance of grit and grace. Ask him to fill our mouths with truth-filled words (Ephesians 6:19-20, “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”) and pray that the Lord helps us love Judas in our lives. This will show them that even when our flesh doesn’t want to love, we still choose to love, and when we fall short, we ask the Lord to help us. This also teaches them how to be vulnerable with the Lord.
I encourage you all to talk about Judas and his life openly. Use His life as a lesson on accepting grace and extending grace. Use situational tools to put it into perspective. We can all learn something from Peter and Judas and how close they were to change their eternity.
