As the chosen 12 gathered together for the supper that would become known as the “last supper,” they were far from having it all together. Resentment was harbored in some hearts, arrogance in others. And not a single one of them were about to wash any dirty, stinky feet! A servant’s heart they did not possess. Jesus knew their hearts. He knew their thoughts. He knew the one who would soon betray him. I think the chosen 12, at least 11 of them, were shocked when He suddenly stated, “Verily I say into you, that one of you shall betray me.” The Bible says they were so sad and full of sorrow, incredulous that one of them would do such a thing. All of their selfish motives and jealousies flashed through their minds, and it scared each one of them. Wait!! “Lord, is it I?” Props to them! Jesus had just stopped them in their tracks and they did not dismiss it! They questioned their jealous hearts. “Lord, is it I?”
The cookie jar sat on the refrigerator growing up. It sits on mine now. I don’t remember cookies ever being in it, but one of my brothers…um, Danny…does! Apparently he had a taste for the Ding-Dongs my Mom placed in the cookie jar. One fateful day he climbed the counter, scaled the cabinets, and stretching his little hand out, broke the cookie jar lid. We were able to glue the hat-top back together, but I think that’s when my Mom stopped putting cookies in the cookie jar. Thanks, Bro!
But the cookie jar and the chosen 12s question , “Lord, is it I?” has me thinking of the cookie jar game. It goes like this.
D’Rae stole the cookie from the cookie jar
“Who me?”
Yes, you!
“Couldn’t be!”
Then who?
I give the pointing finger to Tom!
Tom stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
“Who me”
Yes, you!
“Couldn’t be!”
Then who?
It goes on and on and on! No one ever steals the cookie from the cookie jar! No! Nope! Not me! Couldn’t be! And our finger points to someone else.
So here is the version of that game we play. We may really want that cookie. We may desire that cookie. Sshh… we may even covet that cookie! But we are not going to put our hands in the cookie jar and STEAL it! Duh! I may go halfsies and split a stolen cookie with you after you put YOUR hand in the cookie jar to steal it, but that’s YOU, not me! We may let Jesus down, but we won’t DENY Him! We may disappoint Him, but goodness! We’re not going to BETRAY Him to the highest bidder! Right? That’s not D’Rae! That’s Peter and Judas! That’s not me! That’s you!
So, yes! Props to the disciples on this one. Let’s learn a lesson from them. Let’s put away the cookie jar game, put away the pointing fingers, put away the “nope, not me!” attitudes, and earnestly ask, “Jesus, is it me?” Am I the one who needs more Jesus in my heart? Is it me who needs more compassion, humility, dedication, and kindness? Lord, is it I?