Learning Old Lessons

It is funny how things appear when we are distanced from them.  That’s why I like the account of the Gospel of Mark in relation to Peter’s life with Jesus.  Peter was the person we all think we’d never be towards Jesus.  Sure, Peter had enthusiasm but he was short sighted; he had drive and determination but was fearful in dangerous circumstances.  We’d never be like that; we could see what was going on!  By golly, we’re reading the story here and we know how we would act!  

What’s interesting to me is the change from Peter the actor in the story to Peter the writer in the Gospel.  Through John Mark, who penned Mark, Peter’s perspective is amazingly displayed in this Gospel.  Peter apparently didn’t try to hide any of his shortcomings.  We read about Peter being called “satan” by Jesus, his steadfast assurance that he would never desert Jesus…until he denied Him, and of course, that ear incident in the garden as Jesus was being arrested.  People who are writing a book generally prefer to be in a favorable light and if they have to write of a negative experience, well, there’s usually someone to blame for that.

One thing that is missing in the book of Mark is the account when Jesus searches out Peter upon His resurrection.  You’d think that Peter would want that little tidbit in a book that he’s being written about.  The old Peter would have wanted that in there.  (See, Jesus looked for me!)  The Peter that “got it” after being filled by the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2) was the Peter that didn’t need to trumpet his personal forgiveness for credibility with others.  Peter knew what he had been forgiven from and may have even struggled with re-telling the story of that certain forgiveness that Jesus gave him.  It’s no simple thing to betray a friend; much less one you’ve loved like Peter loved Jesus. 

It’s a good thing that Peter had John as a friend though.  Great friends still believe in us when we make a big mess of things, they believe that we are still redeemable.  In John’s account of the Gospels, he tells the story of Jesus searching out Peter.  Even though it appears that Jesus is grilling Peter about his apparent lack of love for Him, Jesus is really telling Peter that he still has a chance to be effective in the Kingdom.  But, to be effective, Peter will have to submit to a Leader greater than himself.  Peter’s strong will was of no concern to an Almighty God.  God’s power to redeem and to restore greatly outweighs our power to destroy and mess up.  

Side note:  we may “forgive” people but never care to speak to them again, I’m sure glad that when Jesus forgives us, He still desires to speak with us!

Even though it took a little time for Peter to “get it”, the work that God intended to happen through Peter did happen as a result of his submission to the Holy Spirit.  The fact that he could look back at his life and recognize the times that he and the disciples didn’t understand, the times that Jesus was ready to pass them by because of their hardness of heart and the times that they tried so hard to please Jesus in their own strength but failed miserably; that fact gives each of us hope that we can “get it” when it comes to the purposes of God in our life.

The “getting it” revelation most likely always comes with the choice of humility.  Peter didn’t “get it” early in his life because he tried so hard to impress God, but he “got it” later because he chose to listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading.  Peter stopped trying to please God with his own strengths and began honoring God with his obedience.