The Right MovesSample

Deals and Paradoxes

Things went dreadfully wrong for Judas Iscariot when he guided a band of men and officers to Jesus. He had become disillusioned with his Master, who seemed to evince no interest at all in being crowned an earthly king, had no liking for gold and silver, and absolutely no aptitude for the stock market. The thirty silver coins he received for His betrayal could easily have been contained in a small cloth bag. Was that really his incentive? What made Judas tick? 

Was it his love for money and position? Had he set his sights on becoming finance minister in an earthly kingdom? Whatever his motives, when he thought he was making the right moves by going to the clergy and striking a deal with them, he was charged up with misguided zeal, imagining that he was instrumental in bringing down a man who was proving to be such an embarrassment to all the big wigs in town. That rush of adrenaline subsided as quickly as it had risen when he realized that he had betrayed ‘innocent blood’. 

Later, he went and hanged himself- confusion worse confounded! In spite of rubbing shoulders with Jesus for over three years, he had failed to pick up lessons for eternity. He was so busy counting coins that he forgot to count his blessings. The prophet Jonah too was somewhat like Judas- he wanted to follow God but on his own terms. When he was told to undertake a mission that was not to his liking, he ran away and tried to hide, but God had him on His GPS all the time and he sure learnt some hard lessons in life.

The moves we make have to meet with God’s approval if they are to be spiritually fruitful.

The Genesis account of Noah being discovered in a drunken state by his son, Ham, makes interesting reading. Bursting with the news, Ham rushes out and tells his brothers. Shem and Japheth, on the other hand, ashamed vicariously on behalf of their aged father, had the decency to walk backwards into the tent, holding a drape on their shoulders, and so covered their father without looking upon him in his vulnerable condition. That showed touching concern for people and their faults.

There’s a paradox here- walk backwards and yet progress (gain spiritual reward), kneel and be victorious in prayer, stand still (do nothing but pray) and see the salvation of the Lord. Backing away from temptation and sin, rising when we fall, exhibiting tolerance, grace, and forgiveness are the little steps we take in the right direction. 

Casting all our cares on the Lord is one of the best moves we can ever make. Make the right moves- and live.