Last week, Chris sent a text saying, “Did you see Whataburger sold out to a Chicagoan investment firm? :(”
Knowing Chris is pretty truthful guy, but also not believing it was possible an iconic, important, southern institution would ever allow this horrible thing to happen, I looked it up for myself.
Sure enough, Whataburger is now owned by BDT Capital Partners out of Chicago. I am not making this up.
If you are feeling a sense of betrayal, you are not alone. J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans tweeted: “Ok, I say we all chip in and buy Whataburger back. Make honey butter chicken biscuits available all day, add kolaches to the menu and change nothing else. Especially not the ketchup.”
What do you do when you are betrayed? Sure, it may not be as bad as Whataburger being owned by the wrong side of America, but how does a Christian respond to betrayal. And know it happens all the time.
When an employer reduces salaries to raise the profit margin, when a spouse is not faithful, when children needlessly warehouse perfectly health parents in nursing homes and never check on them, when our government carelessly exposes our soldiers to poisons like Agent Orange, there is betrayal.
The answer is to forgive. There is no other viable Christian option. That’s because Jesus said, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)
Now don’t get me wrong. This does not mean there aren’t consequences for betrayal. There always are. Corporate greed, infidelity, elder abuse, and the decaying health of our veterans must be addressed. But that does not negate the fact that forgiveness for those who follow Jesus Christ is not one of many options. It is the only option.
Forgive those who have hurt and betrayed you. It’s the best way. God said so.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, help me to address the injustices of this world. Give me the strength to forgive others. And give me the humility to ask for forgiveness from those whom I have hurt. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
If you are struggling with forgiving Whataburger for this monumental betrayal, know that you must forgive. Luckily, the Bible never gives us a timeline. That’s a good thing because this is a grudge I am going to carry for awhile. Eventually, I will forgive. But not today!
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins
Daily Devotionals by Dr. Tom Robbins 