Judas Ponders

I was asked by the pastor at North Star to write a poem about Judas betraying Jesus to be used in the Ash Wednesday service. I pondered it a week and here's what I came up with.

Judas Ponders
By larry r Linville

I don’t know what got into him.
Jesus started out giving me hope
But he took a cowardly turn
and all I could do was to mope.

I thought he’d be a true messiah
and throw out Herod and all above
but he spoke words about meekness
and forgiveness and even love.

I knew I needed to force his hand
so to the church leaders I went
and agreed to turn him over
for thirty pieces which they spent.

At the meal he said I’d deny him
and I knew I already had
but since it would force him to act
it really wasn’t all that bad.

When I planted a kiss on his cheek
he calmly turned to me the other
reminding me in a subtle way
how he’d said to treat one’s brother.

Denial is something we do
when we think we know more than God
and we seek to do things our way
to give Jesus a gentle prod.

I pray you can learn a lesson
from my selfish mistaken way.
Align you life with his teaching
and let his love lead you each day.