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Matthew 26:48-50 NLT
The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: 
"You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss."
So Judas came straight to Jesus. 
"Greetings, Rabbi!" he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.
Jesus said, 
"My friend, 
go ahead and do what you have come for."
Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 
Matthew 26:48-50 NLT
Even though Jesus knew Judas was going to do what he did, knew what would unfold from that moment, Jesus didn't intervene, stop him, or even make it difficult for him.
Somehow in the middle of this betrayal Jesus still lived out a life of Grace, compassion, mercy. 
This is something that seems beyond our human ability to do. Jesus must've keep holding on to the Bigger Story, the Love Story, that meant that at a human level what Judas did was a big thing, but in the Big Story was just another step to Jesus making a way for us. 

Because God so loved the world.

Jesus accepted the betrayal by his friend not for Judas, not because it was justifiable or right in any way, not because there weren't consequences for him - I'm sure it hurt - Jesus took the betrayal because He Loves us.
His Love consumed, absorbed all the evil and gave back Grace.
One day, His Love will absorb all the betrayal and evil in our world, and there will only be Love
#wordsofJesus #redletterBible 
#weareBeloved 
#grace

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