What triggers our bad responses? Matthew 26-28

Matthew 26:14-16 (NIV)

 Then one of the Twelve–the one called Judas Iscariot –went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The events prior to this commentary on Judas' decision drove him to betray Jesus.   Now, we know this was in his heart all along.   Jesus says as much at the moment of the betrayal, latter in the garden.   But, note the catalyst for this approach.  Just prior to this the women had taken a very expensive bottle of perfume and poured it all over Jesus' head.   Judas, and the other disciples, were upset that the perfume was "wasted" so.    They had little concern for Jesus and more thought of a bottle of perfume.   But Judas was so upset it drove him to do the unthinkable.  He allowed a minor incident to push him over the edge.  How many times do we let our initial reaction to some event to cause us to do something we eventually come to regret?   Jesus knew Judas would betray Him.   He even new the betrayal was coming.    But, the nature of Judas was triggered by this event.   So, too, with us.   We allow our "old" natures to be triggered by events just like this and it drives us to betray Him.   Satan is very good at using these trigger events in our lives to set off a chain reaction in our lives that we soon regret.   Satan will do the same thing to Peter in just a few hours as he betrays Christ three times before the rooster crows.   However, the Spirit lead life allows the Spirit to "slow" us down in our initial reaction.   When, by faith, we are allowing the Spirit to lead us we don't do these things.   We need to be careful to not react to things of the world that push us to do things we regret later.