Some things you just can't fake...
As I closed my eyes for a few moments from studying for this horrid economics exam I have on Monday a thought came to me.
"Peter really LOVED Jesus."
Now for you bible scholars who may read this and be tempted to make a smart comment like "Duh Sherlock", keep it to yourself because "aint nobody got time fah dat". Any who, as I fried up some onions and tomatoes to make some delicious baked beans, the thought only got stronger. So herein are my thoughts available for anyone who may find them the least bit interesting.
Some things you just can't fake.
From the get go Peter made it clear that He LOVED Jesus. And I have no doubts that he meant it. The issue however, was that Peter underestimated what exactly the LOVE for his Savior would require.
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” - John 13: 36-37
He stated passionately that if needed, he would lay down his life for Jesus. The thing is Peter did not truly understand the reality of the claim he made, like most of us. I believe when we love those around us, we sometimes love so hard that we think and say we would give our lives in their stead if necessary, but would we? I think under the right circumstances I believe we would. Jesus showed the importance of qualifying our grandiose declarations:
38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times. - John13:38
What are the right circumstances?
Below I will break out a few areas which I believe constitutes the right circumstances. Now, this is not an exhaustive list, just a few that i think are important and as a result, the way I processed my thoughts on the matter.
Foundational vs. Surface Love
I was once told that I am "foundation type girl" (hehehehe) and this comment really made me think about what qualified the statement in the first place. I think it relates to the current thought at hand in that when love has a solid foundation there is always an opportunity to build it back, regardless of what may come to destroy the structure above. When we can identify the worst that could possible happen to us and decide that we will stick around and love that person through it all, then in my opinion the foundation is strong. Don't get me wrong, we can sometimes build our foundation based on stupidity but in my thoughts here I am not considering that as the case. With this being said, we assume that surface love is exactly the opposite... most times it is based on lust, infatuation, manipulation and other motivations of this kind.
Mature vs. Immature Love
Immature love is normally easily swayed by situations. Here a person is not able to dissect their emotions truthfully to decipher between irrational and rational responses. Because of this they tend to react rather than respond to the issues at hand. I was recently schooled on the difference between reacting and responding. Reacting is when we allow the situation to dictate how we deal with it. Responding can be thought of as making an answer for the situation. Mature love looks at a given situation and analyses it for what it truly is and then responds accordingly.
Before the prophecy concerning Peter's denial was fulfilled we see that Peter showed Christ or attempted to show Christ, that he meant what he said.... even if he had to take a life to prove it. When the Roman soldiers came on the scene to arrest the Savior, here was Peter's reaction:
10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. - John 18:10
What really has me at this point is that even after going as far as to cut off someone's ear, when it came to test to surrender his own life, Peter couldn't do that.
17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?”
He said, “I am not.”.....
25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?”
He denied it and said, “I am not!”
26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed. - John 13:17, 25-27
Even after this I believe Peter still truly loved Christ. Now he had fully come into the reality of the frailty of mere emotions and what it is to truly love. This was a moment of great growth for Peter. He knew beyond a shadow of doubt that Jesus was who he said he was. He knew... but knowing is not enough. When we truly love, it has to go beyond head knowledge, it must come to the point of being. By being, I mean it must come to the point where this love becomes a part of who you are... it helps to forms our identity. As I write, I am not only talking about intimate love, I am speaking of the true essence of Love.... that which requires us to lay down our lives if necessary. If the love we possess does not compel us to lay down our lives then I question its authenticity.
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. - John 15:13
When those we love hurt us or we hurt them, which is inevitable because we are human, we need to be reminded just how deep our love for each other is. Sometimes because of the pain we have caused or that has been inflicted upon us, we tend to shy away and for some us we run because we now feel we are no longer worthy to be loved as we once were. This is where the rubber meets the road, as love is long suffering and unconditional. And it starts with us, once there is a solid foundation for that love, come hell or high waters there will always be a chance to build it back... but it will take WORK.
After Jesus was resurrected, he came back to see Peter. :) I really do appreciate Peter and identify with him so much. Realizing it was Jesus here is what he did:
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.
This guy is me... all or nothing (hahaha). Once they all got back to shore and they ate, below is the conversation Jesus had with Peter:
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah,[b] do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[c] do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[d] do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. - John 21: 15-17
Here is the thing that i really want to end with, not only does Peter get a chance once more to declare his love for Jesus, now he is made aware of exactly what it means to love Christ. Here when asked if he loved Jesus he was now able to respond. The fact of the matter is Real Love takes WORK. It doesn't happen over night and thus will take more than words for it to persist. This i what know: life happens and people make mistakes but some things just can't be faked... and Real Love is one of them.
Soo much more i would have loved to write but I gotta go. :)
I hope this has given you something to think about. I don't expect everyone to have the same opinions as I do but these are mine and I am standing by them. :)
One Love,
Toya (Modern Day Peter)