Another Side

Mark 8:29, 31, 32bAnd He asked them, but who do you yourselves say that I am?Peter replied to Him, You are the Christ (Messiah, the Anointed One).  And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must of necessity suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days rise again [from death]  And Peter took Him by the hand and led Him aside and then [facing Him] began to rebuke Him (AMP).

When I invited friends to one of my speaking engagements, I was touched by their response.

“Oh, Brenda,” said one lady breathlessly, “I’ve never heard you speak before!”

“Oh, Brenda,” said another, “I’ve only heard you give your testimony.”

I still don’t know whether they thought I did a good job or not. I do know they saw a side of me they hadn’t seen before. They had no idea that I could do what I did, even though they’d known me for years.

Jesus’disciples saw a different side of Him and Peter didn’t like it.  He knew Jesus as the Messiah, the Anointed One (Mark 8:29b). But as the One who would suffer, be tested, reproved, rejected, die and rise again? Peter didn’t know that Christ at all. Interestingly, Peter was also the one who denied Him three times (Mark 14:7). In a literal sense, Peter was lying. But in a figurative sense, he was truthful. He didn’t know this Christ.  American Poet Maya Angelou says that when people show you who they are, believe them the first time. 

Prayer: Lord, we go on our merry way, picking what we like or don’t like about you, while you tell us clearly and repeatedly that you are more than we’ll ever know. Help us believe you the first time. Amen.

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