Matthew 16:16-19 NLT – [16] Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." [17] Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. [18] Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means 'rock'), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. [19] And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."…….[22] But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. "Heaven forbid, Lord," he said. "This will never happen to you!" [23] Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."
When I read this passage this morning, I almost felt sorry for Peter. One moment he was on the top of the world. Within what may have been hours, Jesus was rebuking him, "get behind me Satan". You wonder if Peter was questioning what he said that was wrong. He probably didn't even feel so confident anymore to open his mouth.
I am sure Peter wished he could have been a little slower to speak. Possibly used a filter to each thought that came through his mind. I'm sure if any of you are like me, listening to Christian music while driving your car, you have been confronted with the person that cuts you off the road while you're listening to that music. Sometimes things that you say out loud, even though you're alone, are not consistent with where you just have been emotionally and spiritually, praising God.
We as Christians are constantly confronted with emotions that affect the thoughts that come into our mind. It is a struggle to at least watch what we say and what comes to our mind and out of our mouths. But I'm convinced this wasn't going to stop Peter's errors even after this episode in his life. We even see later Peter openly rejecting Christ on the eve of His crucifixion. Nonetheless, it did not stop Peter from continuing down the path that Christ had chosen for him. To be the rock that the church would be built upon. To be a leader of other Christians far and wide.
There is no doubt today you may make a mistake in something you say or even think. But know today you are not defined by your foolish outburst. What you are defined by is that deep conviction that always brings you back to the path of being a disciple of Christ.
Today, give yourself a break. Ultimately, Christ did the same for Peter, and He'll do the same for you. Stay the course.
Stay healthy and have a blessed day!
~Dean Burnetti
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