From Hero To Zero

Scripture

“Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

~Matthew 16:23, NLT

Quote

It is not the business of the church to adapt Christ to the world but the world to Christ.

~D.L. Sayers

Not all of Peter’s sins are recorded in the scripture but some are and it is fortunate for us. Peter was impetuous. He and I have basically the same temperment. We are outgoing: very strong on sanguine with a lot of Choleric. Understand this: your temperment is a gift from God. You didn’t do anything to make yourself quiet and patient, God made you phlegmatic. Phlegmatics listen, watch, wait and they do not act impulsively. Sanguines have a hard time listening and are very impulsive. This being said, I am not as hard on Peter as some because I am a lot like him. I am not saying that I am like him in accomplishment but only in temperment. Christ did an amazing work in Peter’s life. He transformed this impulsive Galalean fisherman into one of the two great leaders of the early church.

But on the occasion mentioned in today’s scripture Peter makes the great confession and gets Jesus affirmation, or you might say praise. “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.” Then within minutes, Jesus gives him a stern kick in the butt, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” So Peter went from hero to zero in a matter of minutes. He said something wise and then moments later, said something stupid. He went from being proud of doing the right thing to being ashamed of doing the wrong thing and it all happened in less than an hour. How do we explain such eratic behavior? It is easy: Peter was human. What Peter did once in scripture, I have done a thousand times in real life.

It can be tough when you are hanging out with a perfect man and Jesus was perfect. Can you imagine what His sisters and brothers thought as they grew up in the same home with the same mom. Of those seven Children, who do you think Mary favored? How would you like to be compared with a perfect brother or sister? The point is: we are Peter, not Jesus. We make mistakes—He didn’t. The good news is that He knows all about our sin and He loves us anyway. It is a love you cannot fathom. Dive in, go as deep as you like but you will never touch bottom. Amazing love, how could it be, that He my LORD and Creator would die for me! Wow! Wow! Wow!

Extra

June and I made the trip to Leoma, Tennessee to pick out Hope rock and then made it back to Tuscumbia for a visitation. Plenty of riding for two old folks. We are always glad to get home. You never know what a day will bring and before I had finished my QT yesterday, we got a call that Jennifer Breedlove was really low. This is Joe David’s mother-in-law. She departed this world a little after 7:00 am if my memory is correct. She was surrounded by her family. She had two grandchildren out of the country. If my math is right she has six grands and those six have already accomplished more than most of us after a life time. One has already graduated on an athletic scholarship and Jennifer will have two more on athletic scholarships this fall with a possibility of having three next year. Jay-bird is only a 5th grader so who knows what she will accomplish and the none athlete of the bunch is enrolled at Wake Forest, Southeastern Seminary, he is a scholar and intends to me a missionary. Did I mention, the oldest is a Baptist minister. Not a bad resume for a grand parent. I can’t brag about my grandkids but I can brag about hers.

I hope you have a great day and thanks for reading the blog.

I am going to publish this unproofed, go eat breakfast and come back and proof it. You early birds will get all the mistakes.

Extra/Extra

We stops at the HOME DEPOT in Florence on Cox Creekway yesterday and it is huge. Much bigger than Decatur. It is a shopper’s paradise. I was in a hurry and didn’t get to look around but LW I will return. What a store!