The Pulpit Speaks: May 3, 1958

An article written by my father, the Rev. C. Thomas Paige, as it appeared in the Tri-State Defender on the date shown.

The evening shadows had gathered and 13 hounded men had gathered in an upper room to eat their final meal. Suddenly, one speaks up and makes the rest of them mindful that the end of a world-shaking and world-shaping career was nearing an end.

Before the men would rise tomorrow morning, one who had been entrusted with the innermost secrets of the whole program had acted under the impulse of right for a mere pittance of a few dollars.

Looking around the table, the group was reminded that in a matter of a few moments, one of them would suddenly become a betrayer. Human weakness made them cry out, “Lord, is it I?” Needless to say, when a man finally arrives to the point in life where he learns that one who is close to him is going to betray him, the hour is dark.

Many times such betrayal is unwarranted. No record has yet been produced to show or indicate that Judas had any reason for his act. A review of the life of Jesus reveals that Jesus had been far more considerate of Judas than Judas had ever dared to be to him. But why did Judas betray Jesus?

Jesus was betrayed only because Judas just could not stand the temptation of a few pieces of silver being waved before him. Let us assume that Judas was human. Let us approach it from that point of view. Let each of us ask ourselves the question, “What would we have done if we had been in the place of Judas?”

In all probability, we would have done the same thing. Judas ad been entrusted with a faith. Judas had been taken into the inner circle that he might be left to carry on the work after Jesus would have left the scene. But why did he betray Jesus?

Judas died by hanging himself, but 20 centuries later — here in our day and time — there are some Judases.

We still have people in our midst who, unfortunately, put more emphasis on getting ahead at any price than doing what they know is right. We still have those among us who are content to look for popular applause than to have a clear conscience that they are doing a good job. Our world is in the current condition because people in places of great influence have chosen to do that which is popular rather than that which is right. We concern ourselves today more with expediency.

There is a little old lady in Hernando, Miss., who has been teaching for better than 30 years now. Recently, the wear and tear of teaching has begun to show and now past 60, she said something that has been most meaningful to me. She sand, “Rev. Paige, I have taught all these years because I believe that is what God intended for me to do!” Oh what a different world this would be if all of us were doing what we are doing because we have a deep-seated conviction that “that is what God” would have us do.

In far too many cases, we have in our homes mothers who have failed to come to grips that being a mother is what God would have her be. We have in our classrooms teachers who are not sold on the idea that that is what God would have them be. We have in our pulpits men who have not come to grips yet that this is what God would have them be. And we wonder about world conditions!

Far too many of us are concerned about the monetary returns of our labors while the world goes on, desperate for moral and spiritual guidance. Many people in all walks of life — the politicians, the teachers, the mothers, the lawyers, and many more — are satisfied only and concern themselves only with what they are going to get out of every effort expended.

Somewhere down the road to higher morality and spirituality we must rid ourselves of our Judas-like characteristics. Starting with ourselves, we must make this a better world.

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