In life, what we value most is revealed by what we prioritise. We make time for what matters to us. We invest energy into what we believe will reward us. For many of us, that might be our wellbeing, our ambitions, our relationships, our families, our friends, or even our reputation. None of these things are inherently wrong.
But the deeper question is this: where does Jesus fall on that list? Is He at the centre or somewhere on the margins?
The Price of Betrayal
During Lent, we often reflect on the passion of Christ - His suffering, His rejection, and ultimately His crucifixion. One of the most striking moments in that story is Judas’ betrayal: selling Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16).
Thirty. Not a fortune. Not even the market value of a slave.
For many of us, Judas’ actions seem unthinkable. How could someone who walked with Jesus, heard His teaching, witnessed His miracles, and saw His compassion up close, turn around and sell Him?
But perhaps the more uncomfortable question is not, “How could Judas?”, but rather, “How do we?”
A Slow Drift of the Heart
Judas did not begin as a traitor; he began as a disciple.
He was chosen (Luke 6:13-16; Mark 3:13-19). He followed and listened to Jesus’ teachings. He was entrusted with responsibility as a treasurer (John 12:6). Yet somewhere along the way, his expectations of Jesus clashed with the reality of who Jesus truly was.
He likely hoped for a political Messiah - one who would overthrow Rome and reign in visible power (John 6:14-15). Instead, he received a servant King who associated with the lowly and outcasts, forgave enemies, and spoke of dying (Mark 10:45; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 5:44) .
When Jesus did not fit his expectations, Judas re-evaluated His worth. His heart began to drift. Scripture hints that he loved money because he helped himself to what was in the money bag (John 12:4-6). Greed quietly grew where devotion should have been (1 Timothy 6:10). By the time the opportunity came, the trade felt reasonable (Matthew 26:14-16).
The Incomparable Worth of Christ
At the root of Judas’ betrayal was a failure to recognise who Jesus really was (John 6:70-71; Luke 22:48). He did not see His value clearly. And if we are honest, our compromises reveal the same blindness.
Jesus is infinitely worthy. He is not a teacher among teachers. Not a prophet among prophets.
Not a spiritual option among many. He is the Son of God (Hebrews :3). The Creator (John 1:1-3). Through Him and for Him and to Him are all things (Colossians 1:15-17). He is the One who left His heavenly glory, took on flesh, stepping into our brokenness and choosing the cross for us (John 1:14; Philippians 2 :6-8).
He did not give thirty pieces of silver for us. He gave His throne, His status, His very life, His blood so that we could be reconciled to the Father, forgiven, redeemed, welcomed and receive eternal life – not just later, but now (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; John 5:24).
If we have Jesus, we have everything. If we gain the world but lose Him, we have nothing (Matthew 16:26; Philippians 3:8; Romans 8:32).
Why We Settle for Less
Yet how often do we treat Him as secondary? As an addition to our lives rather than the foundation of them? As someone we consult occasionally rather than the Lord we follow wholeheartedly?
If we truly saw how great a treasure Jesus is - if we grasped His holiness, His beauty, His mercy, His authority, His love displayed at the cross - we would never consider selling Him cheaply.
But our vision is blurred by the world. The world screams that money is security; that pleasure is freedom; that influence is power; that self-expression is ultimate truth.
So, we start to believe that these things will satisfy us more than Christ. And that is often where our own hearts drift like Judas’. When Jesus does not advance our plan, when obedience costs us comfort, when faithfulness limits our options, when surrender feels like loss - we begin to lower His value in our lives.
We may not exchange Him for silver coins, but we trade Him for things far smaller: approval.
money, status, control, pleasure, relationships we refuse to surrender. Things that are way beneath His worth.
We begin to live as though Jesus is an accessory to our life rather than the centre of it. He becomes part of Sunday, part of our identity, part of our moral framework, but not the centre around which everything else should revolve - ultimately, not our treasure. And whatever is not treasured will eventually be traded cheaply.
Most of us would never name our price out loud, but our habits often reveal it. Whatever we treasure most will shape our decisions, our schedules, and our desires (Matthew 6:21).
From Cheap Silver to True Treasure
Lent is an invitation to examine our hearts. Not to condemn ourselves, but to realign our vision. To ask honestly: “Have I reduced Jesus to thirty pieces of silver? Have I valued temporary things over eternal treasure?”
We are not so different from Judas. The seeds of betrayal live in every human heart (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23; James 1:14-15). But the beautiful truth is that it is never too late to return. The difference is not that we are stronger - it is that grace holds us and grace that calls us back (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Even when we have valued Jesus cheaply, He has not discarded us. Peter denied Him three times and was restored (Luke 22:61-62; John 21:15-17). The disciples fled and were commissioned (Matthew 26:56; Matthew 28:18-20). There is always a way back (Joel 2:12-13; 1 John 1:9; James 4:8). The answer is not to grit our teeth and try harder. It is to ask God to open our eyes.
Unlike Judas, who was consumed by despair, we are invited to repentance and restoration (Matthew 27:3-5; 2 Corinthians 7:10). The Father already demonstrated how much He values us - He gave His Son (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Christ was betrayed, mocked, and crucified so that we could be forgiven and brought near (Isaiah 53:4-8; Ephesians 2:13).
He sees us as precious (Isaiah 43:4). The question is: do we see Him the same way?
Final Thoughts
Dear reader, this Lenten season, may we not simply reflect on the cross but respond to it. May we choose to make Jesus not an accessory to our life, but the centre of it. Let us want to know Him more through His Word, speak to Him throughout the day in prayer, seek His will above our own, and measure success not by applause but by faithfulness.
Because He is worth infinitely more than silver.
When Jesus becomes your treasure, obedience stops feeling like loss. It becomes joy. Surrender stops feeling like deprivation. It becomes freedom. Thirty pieces of silver will never satisfy. Worldly approval will never secure your soul. Sin will never deliver what it promises.
But Christ, truly known and truly treasured, is enough.
