The best known of the original twelve apostles was Peter.  Peter was a working man, a fisherman by trade.  Along with his brother Andrew, he was in partnership with Zebedee and his sons, John and James.  There was in Peter’s personality a certain degree of impulsiveness.  He occasionally spoke and acted without thoroughly thinking something through.  We see this in Luke 22:33 where Peter told Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.”  John 18:10 informs us that as Jesus was being taken in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter drew his sword and cut off the right ear of the High Priest’s servant, Malchus.

            With Peter we also see a certain depth of perception and the courage to act upon his convictions.  It was Peter who answered the question of Jesus in John 6, “Will ye also go away?” with the marvelous statement recorded in verses 68-69, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  Thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”  It was Peter who answered the Lord’s question, “But whom say ye that I am?  In Matthew 16:15, with the words, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (vs. 16).

            It is important that we address Peter’s denial.  In Mark 14:26-28 Jesus told his disciples that they would all be offended because of him and would scatter into the night.  In v. 29 Peter said, “Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.”  Perhaps we could say that in the downward move to denial, the first step was over-confidence.  Moving further on in Mark 14, we find in verses 30 – 31, “And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.  But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.  Likewise also said they all.”  It certainly indicates that Peter was the first to say, “I will die before I deny thee.”  Thus we note how Peter spoke rashly, without considering the cost of his words before he spoke them.  Impulsiveness and over-confidence won out over clear thought and sound judgment.  Step two had been taken.

            Mark 14:37 shows us step three.  It tells us, “And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou?  Couldest not thou watch one hour?”  When Peter awoke to find himself confronted by a band of men carrying swords and staves, and also being confronted by his own failure to stay awake with his Lord, Peter reacted violently.  Many Christians react very strongly when confronted with their own failures.

            Step number four is found in Luke 22:54, “Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house.  And Peter followed afar off.”    A person cannot follow “afar off” for they tend to lose sight of who they are following.  In verses 55-61 of Luke 22, just as the Lord had said, Peter denied him three times.  Verses 60-61, give us the heart-rending details of that final denial.  “And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest.  And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.  And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter.  And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”

            However, Luke 22:62, tells us, “And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” I can sympathize with the tremendous guilt and overwhelming sorrow that Peter must have felt when Jesus turned and looked at him and all that Jesus had said came flooding back into his mind.  The simple look of the Son of God cut Peter to the heart.  Instead of wallowing in self-pity or throwing his hands up in despair, this man acknowledged his sin and rose from it to become the Peter whose very name speaks of strength and conviction.  He rose to a place of faithfulness in the eyes of God, to a place of stalwart service in the work of the Lord.  Peter would later write words that illustrate a profound change in the attitude of this man.  In 1 Peter 5:6, he wrote, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.”

                                                Greg Litmer

A tale of pain and sorrow will in these words be outpoured

And even though I hesitate to hurt or wound a heart

But truth be told what will unfold is no more than most endure.

A task is given, a work is undertaken, and to its completion you put your hand

Countless hours are expended, diligent concentration is the rule.

For you there is no other way, you always do the best you can.

No one knows the care you used as you labored at your task.

You put your heart, your soul, your mind and spirit into what you did.

With sweat and maybe tears, and certainly with prayer, you finished it at last.

I guess they do not see the pain, the hurt, or anguish in your eyes

They don’t know how empty you feel, or how the proverbial wind was take from your sails,

When those who did not do the work sit back and criticize.

Constructive words do have their place when ability and spirits they are meant to rise.

No one is perfect, that’s for sure, and maybe we could do better.

But I do not understand the mind of one who looks to criticize.

When you sit and debate, talk and pray, and seek the counsel of the wise

Spending innumerable hours making sure the decisions are best for all

It breaks your heart and robs your sleep when they sit back and criticize.

There’s no telling the good will a hearty thank you or good job buys,

The smiles, the joy, the determination to jump right in again.

But I don’t think that’s what they are looking for, those who sit back and criticize.

I guess the goal of these sad souls is to show us who is wise,

To help, to encourage, to uplift is not the point.

No, there is no good that is meant or comes, from those who sit back and criticize.

                                Greg Litmer