This is about two men, well known throughout the Christian world. Both lived at the same time. Both were very privileged. Both had excellent training, better than any money can buy. Both had their strengths and their weaknesses.

But each was motivated by very different drives, and they had very different characters.

The one loved money quite a bit, but we do not know why. Did he came from a poor family, and broken family, full of abuse and hatred? We don’t know. He could have just as well came from a middleclass or even a very wealthy family. The love of money and power does not make a distinction on financial ability. Whatever else we could know of him – that is not possible. He appeared to be quiet and on the background.

Completely the opposite of the other. Loudmouthed, boisterous, impulsive – always in the front and usually caught out with the foot in the mouth. Not that that would have bothered him too much. He was the man of the moment.

Both followed a potentially very capable and famous general. Both had their hopes in him. Fame, power – and the niceties of life… Worthwhile investment I would say. To be part of a most – even the most – exciting time in history. People would talk about the wars for eons. And their names would be mentioned…

But then it appeared the general did not have the same vision as they. He started to mention that he was to be killed before the mobilization would even start. The excitement – the meetings in secret, the preparation. The vision was in jeopardy. Mr Boisterous went even so far to rebuke the general about this new turn of events.

But he got a smack through his ego so fast, unexpected and vicious that his ego’s ears rang for weeks. Was this where Mr quiet-with-long-fingers – oh the moneeeeey – it felt sooo good, became disappointed in this weak general? All the time that he went with this bunch, all the income that he lost… The bit that he got out of the bag was only a fraction of what he so desired.

And he started to make plans. At least he can make a last ditch effort of getting something in return for all the miles of walking, the hunger, cold, fear, all the talking and teaching. No practicing, no planning of a rebellion. And then he got the plan.

He negotiated, he executed the plan with military precision. And it worked. He had the MONEY. A heavy bag full of it. So much and so precious he could start his own bank. He was rich! He made it!!!!

The other was suddenly thrown into the crucible. And the heat was being going from blast to heavy blast to turbo blast.  He had been warned, but at the heat of the moment all of that was forgotten. He had to look after himself and the goal justifies the means. Even if it meant that he cracked and denied knowledge of his general that he swore loyalty to – that against the lowest of low servants. And when the soldiers that took his general into custody said that he was with the general – this was serious.

He used a row of curses and swearing that would have had the hardest seaman blush. But then the cock crowed. And a knife went through his head his heart his soul. And he was confronted with his cowardice and disloyalty. And a chicken had to show him this. Not good for that strong self confident ego. With the ego in tatters, a change started to happen in this man. So that later he could stand in front of a huge crowd and confidently and convincingly witness of the Great General which became the Saviour of the world.

How did it end with the other man? Not so good. The money started to weigh on him. So much so that he threw it back at his benefactors. But this man was hard. Three years in the presence of the greatest Man and Teacher that ever lived did not make a chink in his armour. He was just sorry for himself. The infamy he had brought onto himself – to betray an honest man. And the course of events were too far gone to stop.

He had to take things into his own hands, hanged himself and brought even more shame on himself as the rope broke and he fell spilling his bowels on the ground.

Which of these two are you?

One could be so focussed on making a living, making money, becoming rich, having fun, doing it one’s way that one will betray even the best Teacher, Master, Lord, High Priest that ever live or will live.

Or one can have the attitude of the first. Brokenness, acknowledgement of guilt and a turnaround from evil – as this is exactly what metanoia means – change the way one is, thinks and acts.