CHEATED
Beware, lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Col. 2:8)
I think it is safe to say that we have all felt cheated at one time or another. We probably also know what it is like to feel betrayed. But today as we remember the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, I want to consider how He may have felt.
Do you think He felt cheated or betrayed? He heard the cheers knowing what the end of the week would bring. How could He stand that?
Well, I believe He did exactly what He told us to do. He kept His trust focused on His Father. He loved us all so much, and yet He knew what the hearts of men were like so He did not count on the faithfulness of people, but rather on the faithfulness of God.
Jesus was able to receive the adoration the people were giving Him without losing His focus. He knew that what they said and felt was true just as well as He knew that soon He would be put to death for the sins of these same people. Yet I do not believe He received their cheers with contempt. I believe He could enjoy life as it came.
Often times we are unable to enjoy the good things because we are still fuming over the times we have felt cheated. To that I can only say; “Get over it. Give it to God and don’t let it cheat you anymore.” No one likes being cheated, lied about, betrayed, or tricked, but it happens; so beware. Be prepared. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
We all know that we do not like these things to happen to us, but are we guilty of doing these things to others? Do we cheat people out of the kindness they need from us? Do we cheat people out of love and forgiveness? Do we rob people of the truth when we fail to live it? Do we cheat ourselves by abandoning the truth?
The biggest thing about all of this for Christians is that Jesus said when we do this to someone else, we also do it to Him. So it is like cheering and shouting and waving a palm branch one minute and yelling crucify Him the next!
In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he speaks of the fact that their very lives revealed the depth of the message that was preached to them. They received it in power and they lived it the same way.
As I have considered these things, it bothers me to see that I have most certainly cheated myself at times, and in the process others. I don’t like that. However, it bothers me most to realize that I have cheated the Lord. So today I am asking the Lord for a gift. I want an increasing awareness of anytime that I may be anywhere near cheating Him. I believe this will be a great blessing for my life and so I pray the same thing for you.