“Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.’ 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.’”                   John 13:37-38

Confronting the Truth

Haven’t we all wished at times that we could take back the dumb things we’ve said and done? This is particularly true after we are proven to be a fraud or a fake—when the words we spoke so rashly proved to be wrong, or our predictions did not come true.

In today’s Scripture, Peter speaks hastily to show Jesus that he loves Him. “I’ll DIE for You, Jesus!”

Jesus confronts Peter. “Really, Peter? You think you’d DIE for Me? Let Me just tell you what will REALLY happen—you’ll deny Me three times early tomorrow morning!”

Jesus sees all of tomorrow’s failures and denials. Nothing is hidden from Him that won’t be revealed at some point (Matthew 10:26). But though our sin isn’t hidden from Him, it is often hidden from us. In Peter’s case, it would only be a few terrible hours between his impulsive declaration of allegiance and the most distraught moments of his life.

In the tight spots of life, we find out what we’re made of. We plainly see the truth that we’ve maybe missed seeing our whole lives. In the clutches of a difficult moment, what comes out of our mouth? When it really counts, what action do we take? You can check yourself ahead of time, you know. Read Galatians 5, and ask, “Do I live in the flesh?” If that is your practice, you will respond in the flesh when times get tough. “Am I led by the Spirit?” If that is your practice, you will respond to the hard times with the Spirit’s attributes. “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each one examine his own work…” (Galatians 6:3-4).

There is no question that Jesus knows us through and through. “But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25). Both our public and private lives will reveal to us the irrefutable evidence of who we are. Are we paying attention?

Whatever the evidence shows, Jesus goes to some length to give us a chance to make things right. Peter verbally denied Jesus three times; then after His resurrection, as we read in John 21, Jesus gives Peter three chances to declare His love verbally.

Peter’s words may have been spoken in haste, but they proved prophetic. He would, indeed, be ready to die for Jesus several years down the road, when he was crucified upside down on a cross!

“Father, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).”