I'm not sure you fully feel like a minister until you have experienced betrayal. You pour your body and mind into those the Lord has called you to shepherd, giving up sleep and time with your family to be there for them, only to have their head turned by whispers and lies before turning their entire body away from you. It's one of the most painful parts of ministry, yet it's also one that helps us identity more with Christ.
My mind goes to the night Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. John 13:11 tells us Jesus knew He would be betrayed by Judas. Likewise in Luke 22 we find that Jesus knew Peter would deny even knowing Him. Jesus knew these men would turn from Him, but He loved and served them anyway.
These two men offer prototypes of a couple types of mistreatment ministers will face.
Judas sold Jesus out for what his heart was really set on-money. John 12 already told us he was a thief. His actions proved he was unscrupulous. He hurts Jesus is the worst way, betraying him with a kiss. In Matthew 27 we find Judas regretted his decision, knowing he had gone too far. So he goes to return his ill-gotten gains, but he learned what we often discover too late-if you run with wicked people, they will eventually run over you! They didn't care about the anguish in Judas's heart. It all became too much and Judas hanged himself.
Peter was different. He had shown a pattern of immaturity that caused him to be emotions driven. So it shouldn't be that surprising when, faced with danger for his association to Christ, he cowered. But the book of Acts presents a new Peter. He grew up in the Spirit and became the bold leader he was supposed to be, being led by the Holy Ghost and not his feelings.
You will see both types of betrayal in ministry. You will have those like Judas who use you up only to sell you out in the end for what they really want. They will secure their spot in your intimate circle, proclaiming loyalty, only to murder you with their words in the end. The temptation will be there to use the ammunition you've collected against them, but there's no need. Just as with Judas, they will hang themselves. The type of spirit that drives this betrayal against a man or woman of God can ony be contained so long until it destroys the willing participant. They will become too bold and their words and actions will destroy their reputation without you saying a word.
You will also have those like Peter. You will see your share of emotionally and spiritually immature folks who ride the waves of their emotions. They may love you today and hate you tomorrow. They listen to lies told about you instead of coming to you for clarity. They make up their opinions based on what they feel. When you need their silence they are a distraction and when you need them to be brave they curl up in a ball in the corner. But here's the good news: when they allow the Lord to grow them up, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the Kingdom. They may never apologize for hurting you, but if your heart is right, you will take what God does through them as the ultimate vindication.
Here's the trick, no matter if you are facing being sold out or just disregarded by the emotionally stunted: love them the same. Only the sovereign God knows which is in your midst even now. No minute spent loving and leading is wasted when you do it out of faithfulness to the Lord. If they kick against God's plan, He will handle it.
