Have you ever had someone plot against you? Did they go through with it?  Maybe it was something as simple as playing a practical joke, or as complex as misrepresenting you and eventually causing harm to you and/or your family. Maybe a spouse left you for someone else, or you were cheated out of a promotion; it could even be that someone you care about speaks horribly of you for no real reason at all. Maybe you played along and laughed off the situation, or possibly it is still causing distress to your soul years following the actual event.

In Matthew 26, we see the chief priests and elders plotting against Jesus. Interestingly enough they are holding off on their arrest until after the Passover Feast, fearing that those celebrating may riot against them.

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the [open] court of the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and consulted together in order to arrest Jesus by stratagem secretly and put Him to death. But they said, it must not be during the Feast, for fear that there will be a riot among the people.

~ Matthew 26:3-5 (AMP)

This passage starts with the word ‘THEN’, which causes us to consider the verses that precede this Scripture. Prior to this Jesus is on the Mount of Olives holding a private teaching session with His disciples. (Matthew 24:3) During this conversation Jesus explains the second coming, first discussing the last days and then explaining them within the form of several parables. Chapter 25 discloses the parable of the ten virgins and the master that gives talents to his servants. The chapter closes with a very well known passage discussing feeding the hungry, giving drink to those who are thirsty, and clothing the naked, explaining when we care for the least of those around us, we care for our Savior.

Chapter 26 opens stating when Jesus finished with His discourse (vs. 1), His lesson for the disciples, He closed by revealing “You know that the Passover is in two days–and the Son of Man will be delivered up treacherously to be crucified.” (vs. 2)

The very next thing we see in Scripture is the earlier passage claiming that at following this lesson the chief priests and elders gathered together to discuss the arrest of Jesus.

Here’s what I realized. First, Jesus knew He was going to be arrested and revealed it to His disciples. Second, the chief priests and the elders were not around to hear Jesus’ declaration; meaning they were somewhere else plotting on their own. Third, the priests realized that at that moment, during that season Jesus had favor with the Jewish people; for they had only just days before praised Him as their King. Finally, the priests were wise enough to know if they waited for the right moment, the right set of circumstances, the people who sang Jesus’ praises and reverenced Him just days before would stand by his arrest and subsequent crucifixion.

The priests and elders had a healthy fear of the children of Israel, their traditions, and the prophesies that surrounded their culture. They knew that once the Passover celebration was over, the Israelites would soon remember that they were under jurisdiction of the Roman Empire, and this so-called King of the Jews would not be delivering them from their circumstances. They knew they could turn these circumstances to their favor and arrest Jesus.

Has anyone ever told you that they had your back only to let you down when the going got tough?  Maybe a co-worker agreed to support you, but when faced with the oppression of management, they succumbed to authority and left you out on the ledge by yourself. Perhaps someone agreed to testify on your behalf, but failed to show up in court. Has anyone sung your praises, only to later disclose all your faults?

The children of Israel were not guilty of anything anyone of us could have easily fallen pray to. Fear has the power to stop many people from doing any number of things.

Fear stopped the arrest of Jesus’ until more favorable circumstances presented themselves to the Roman Empire.

Fear stopped Peter from acknowledging he knew Jesus.

Fear stopped Judas from remaining faithful to Jesus.

Fear stopped the Israelites from believing in their foretold destiny.

But fear could not stop Jesus.

Jesus stilled shared the Passover feast with his disciples, even though in a few short hours His arrest would be imminent.

Jesus continued to patiently teach Peter and encourage him, even though he would betray him several times before morning.

Jesus showed Judas the same respect and love as He did with the other disciples, even though Judas would betray him soon.

Jesus loved all the children of Israel and begged forgiveness for their ignorance, since they did not know what they were doing.

Yes, the chief priests and elders held off on arresting Jesus because they were afraid of a potential riot. They held off on the arrest because they knew at that moment they did not have the power. Little did they realize that they never truly had the power, and that Jesus held it all.

Jesus was certain of His outcome and neither the Roman Empire nor fear ever had a hold on Him. He walked through the evil plots of the Roman Empire, the betrayals by friend and by a people, the denial by a close friend, and He showed each person respect, love, and encouragement. Further, in His last moments, as the evil plots would seemingly win, Jesus interceded on behalf of everyone declaring we did not understand what we were doing, and He took the blame for every wrong sin, every wrongdoing, for all of eternity.

So back to the original question, has anyone ever plotted against you?

How did you treat them?

Prayerfully we can all learn from the example of Jesus and can walk forward without fear “lov[ing] our enemies and pray[ing] for anyone who mistreats you.” (Matthew 5:44, CEV)

Okay. I stand convicted, and will be working on this myself. How about you?

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“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And yet not one of them is forgotten or uncared for in the presence of God. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be struck with fear or seized with alarm; you are of greater worth than many flocks of sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7, AMP)

This verse is all about perspective. How often do you really pay attention to the birds? On occasion I listen to them sing, but more often I am irritated by their singing, especially the few that have taken to nesting in our chimney. Sometimes we will stand in awe at their beauty as they sit on a tree in our yard, then we are upset about the mess they may leave on our windshield. They are birds, and most times they are something that we really don’t think about. Yet God cares for them, and like everything in His creation has a purpose for them.

What could a bird’s purpose possibly be? Well, their songs are soothing to the soul and their colors are absolutely spectacular, but maybe it’s more than their beauty and songs that we are suppose to realize through them. When I lived in the mountains in Virginia we could always recognize the start of winter season by the massive exit of the birds. Looking up in the sky we would see them flying in formation to warmer places. Driving down the street we would see them resting on the power lines, and we were certain that the cold was coming soon. And every new year, as we saw the birds flying back home, and we heard their songs in the morning sun, we would know that spring was on the way.Now that I live in Florida, there is no real mass exodus of the birds to foretell the coming of the winter season. In the contrary, we can recognize when the winter season has settled in the north by the increasing population of birds through the ‘winter’ months. But I have noticed that if you pay attention to the birds, you will watch them sense the coming of a storm.

Birds have an awareness about them, a supernatural sensitivity to the world around them; that we too often turn a blind eye too. Perhaps the birds serve as a reminder to us to stop and pay attention to the sounds and messages all around us.

Then there is us, the comparison in the verse; if God could care for a single bird, how much more must He care for you. This is probably where the deepest seeds of my fear and insecurities lie. How could God, who has so much to care for in the universe, possibly really care for me? Does He really have a purpose for my life? Does He know me so well, that He actually knows every hair on my head, knows when one falls out, and knows when a new one springs forward? How can a God so big, care for me, someone so small and insignificant?

Reflections of my childhood reveal where my insecurities began. My mother and I never had the most loving of relationships. I remember watching her care for and nurture my brothers and sisters, and yearn for the same treatment and concern; yet, I don’t remember her hugs or kisses, only my dad’s. While my dad lavished me with hugs and kisses, he helped build the foundation of insecurity and uncertainty, as I pursued the discovery of who I was. My father was wonderful at encouraging me to take a chance, to try, and then when I would do my very best at something, he would make sure I understood all the areas that I had failed within the task. In his own mind, I believe that he thought he was helping me to become a better person, stronger and wiser. But with each failure, my dreams were packed away one by one in the recesses of my heart. Excellence was demanded in our home, excellence in schoolwork, and manners, and as I grew up under the constant eye of scrutiny, I never felt pretty enough, smart enough, or graceful enough. In the end, they succeeded in creating a young woman, full of self-doubt and insecurity, certain that anything she received within life was through someone else’s grace or pity.

I spent most of my life living this way. I was constantly afraid; afraid that people will judge my looks, afraid that my outfit wasn’t right, afraid that I would say the wrong thing, and mostly afraid of exposing any part of the secrets that lay within the recesses of my heart.

Yet during the past few years those dreams and hopes that were hidden away have sprung back into the forefront of my life. God has used my ability to write to expose the deepest and most hidden parts of me. And as I write each day, I learn more about the God of this universe who loved me with a perfect love, when my parents didn’t. I have seen areas that He has been proud of my gifts, and used them for the benefit of others, free of criticism and scorn. He has shown me that I do have a purpose, even if it is only to reach one heart, one soul; even if that heart and soul is my very own.

How can I believe that it is God creating this change in me? I cannot prove it through the physical or scientific realm. I cannot provide any undeniable evidence to the skeptic heart. What I can do is say that it is all a matter of faith. Faith is more than just believing that something is going to happen, it is becoming willing to step out into the actions of that belief. Peter may have believed Jesus that he could walk on the water, but he would have never believed it to be true until he took that first step and his faith become an undeniable truth.

God loves us with a perfect and undeniable love. He can love us when others can’t because His love is not flawed with our imperfections. When God looks upon us, He sees the perfection of His creation. He sees everything we were meant to be, everything He purposed us to be. He sees how we can continue to grow, and how our failures can easily be turned to successes. He cares for us, our hearts, our dreams, our purposes; and He knows us more intimately than we could ever know ourselves.

God takes care of every part of His creation. He cares for the birds of the air, the lilies of the field, and each and every part of us. Take a step of faith today and become aware of the power of God’s love surrounding you. Believe that God loves you and take a step of faith into that love, embracing it just as He embraces you.

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