1 Peter1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. “
NOBODY IN BETHSAIDA WAS EVER GOING TO ARGUE THAT SIMON PETER WAS PERFECT! In fact, if you had gotten to chat with Peter’s boyhood friends and his neighbors, they would have been more than happy to tell you Peter’s failings. Peter was impatient, impetuous, and given to grand gestures. Peter had a temper and even his closest friends knew that it was best not to get Peter angry. And yet, Jesus chose Peter with all his failings to help lead the disciples after the Ascension. Was Jesus crazy? Why choose Peter?
Perhaps Jesus chose Peter particularly because of Peter’s shortcomings and his knowledge of his own failings. While Jesus was being interrogated, Peter was in the courtyard trying to deny that he even knew Jesus. As far as we know, when Jesus was crucified, Peter wasn’t around. Even when the tomb was reported to be empty, Peter wasn’t really sure that Jesus had risen. And in the 21st chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus questions Peter as to how much Peter loves him, and Peter is still fumbling for answers. And yet, Peter became a leader, acknowledged as such by the other disciples.
What makes a good disciple? Are the best disciples the ones who appear to do everything correctly, or are they those who are not perfect and who are aware of their imperfections? Perhaps, if we think we are perfect, that very belief in our perfection will keep us from imitating the Master. After all, disciples are supposed to imitate their leader, not merely to seek their own ways.
I love Simon Peter’s example! I love Peter because he was not perfect and yet Jesus selected him. I love Peter because he recognized his failings as a follower, but he changed. After the resurrection, Peter became one of the most faithful imitators of Jesus. And at the end, Peter requested that he be crucified head – down, because he felt unworthy to die in the same fashion as his Lord.
No, you do not have to be perfect to become a disciple of Jesus. You do need to pray and search for God’s will for your life. And you need to be willing to copy Peter: once you have found God’s will, don’t hold back but go forward, knowing that God will meet you and guide you.
PRAYER: Father God, this morning we come to you, begging you to help us learn how to become disciples. We are not sure what this will mean for our lives, but we know that You love us and that You have a perfect plan. Lord, guide us so that we will truly become disciples and disciple – makers. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.
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