Why Suicide Is Not the OptionSample

A look at Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot is seen as an antithesis of everything that a Christian should not be. And when we think of how his life ended - in suicide, we might even say "good riddance". However, looking at him as a normal human being and not as a disciple of Jesus Christ, helps us understand the struggles that a person without Christ can go through and how those struggles can drive a person to suicide. Understanding these things can actually save many lives from a premature and tragic end.

Strong convictions

Judas required more than just greed to give up Jesus to the chief priests. A man of God commented that doing such a thing required a man to have some strength of character. Even if we interpret his situation through the lens of greed, we can understand that it would be difficult to arrest a person of Jesus' stature. Jesus was very popular to the extent that even the priests debated the advisability of arresting him in public for the fear of causing a riot. He probably thought a single demonstration of Jesus' power when the security forces came to arrest him would be enough to silence the opposition, to some extent if not once and for all. Jesus' foreknowledge of what Judas would do, and His words "What you intend to do, do it quickly,” could have been construed as approval from Jesus, considering Judas' state of mind.

Alarming let down

If what Judas imagined were true, Judas may have been crestfallen when that didn't happen. If Judas thought he would make the soldiers disappear, he was utterly disappointed to see Jesus identify and willingly give himself up. If Judas thought Jesus would incinerate the soldiers with his looks, Judas was crestfallen when he saw Jesus admonish Peter when he cut off Malchus' ear and even restored it. The tipping point was probably when Jesus went all the way to be crucified and died on the cross.

Let's draw a parallel to those of us who have strong convictions. So much so, that we bet our lives on them. One can have strong convictions and even a grand utopian vision. They can put in everything they have into something they believe they will see. We can call it vision we can call it risk. We can also conclude there is no vision without a risk. And when these expectations are belied, hope is lost. And when all hope is lost, suicide can be seen as a face-saving option.

I am reminded of the father of my friend in my engineering days, who lost all his money in horse racing and threw himself under a train and that shattered the family irreversibly. It is gratifying to see that his son did not see the situation as his father did, and indeed nursed his family back to normalcy and is now doing extremely well

Belief, Vision and Faith

Belief is when we believe in something, and its intensity can vary from a casual non-committal view of things to a strong feeling that can change our worldview. When belief grows beyond a level, it spurs action and spawns a vision. Vision becomes more personal, and more intense, and can alter one's priorities and lifestyle. Eventually, it can determine the purpose of one's life. Belief and Vision are both operative at the human level and come with their inherent limitations and failings. However, Faith is a totally different matter. It comes from God and is fulfilled in God. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. With faith there is no failure; there is no fear. Faith has the power to change our belief system - both Jew and Gentile - and it can give us a new vision - one that is superior to that of our utopian dreams. Finally, faith extends beyond ourselves, making the vision based on faith a certainty.

If you have a strong belief and vision that are not based on Faith, you may need to reevaluate and realign yourself.

1. Is there something that I believe that needs to be aligned with God's word?

2. Is there something that I did wrong in the past and cannot seem to correct it?

3. Let me ask God to search my heart and see if there is something that is not aligned with His word and will for my life.

·God is the only one who can erase our past and give us a new life. Saul can become Paul without his past being erased.