Tag: Great Biblical failures

15 When they finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 He asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was sad that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” He replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ I assure you that when you were younger you tied your own belt and walked around wherever you wanted. When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another will tie your belt and lead you where you don’t want to go.” ¹⁹ He said this to show the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After saying this, Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me.”
John 21

I wonder.

How do you see yourself? How do you see your identity? How do you measure your self worth?

Is it what you do? Is it your job? Your role in the eyes of others? How you see your relationship with God?

While reading the passages this week, I wondered what Peter might had been feeling during the above conversation. What opinion did Peter have of himself on that day when he turned around to Jesus and said that he’d give up his life? Who did he think he was at that time?

What about on the night that Jesus was arrested:

⁶⁰ Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” ⁶² And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Luke 22

It seems that Peter goes from being a big part of Jesus’ disciples to doing the one thing he (Peter) said he never would, and from the looks of the passage in Luke, it hurt.

I guess thats kinda the reason why I liked this verse from Thursday. We get to see Peter built up, and made ready for the next chapter of life.

In the space of five chapters Peter moves from denier , to fisherman, to leading the first church at the start of Acts. What must have he thought of himself during each of these stages? If Peters place in the world can vary so much, then so can ours. If our place in our world varies, how do we hang onto who we are?