high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked
closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking
about,” he said, and went out into the entryway. (Mark 14: 66-68)
We’ve all heard the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus. But what if we
turned this story around, and focused on the servant girl? What must
she have been thinking? She knew Peter had been with Jesus.
Imagine her confusion - why would one of his closest friends deny
knowing the man? What kind of friendship is that? She would never
betray one of her closest friends.
What made Peter so afraid? After all, Peter was “the rock” – hardly a
name for someone who would be easily terrified. Was Peter afraid of
being questioned before the authorities? Was he afraid of dying?
Scripture doesn’t record the young woman’s name or her thoughts.
We can only imagine her reactions to Peter’s words, but maybe we
can learn from her questioning.
Who are the people in our lives that question our relationship with
Jesus? Are we afraid of acting in the name of the Lord because we
might face ridicule? Do we keep quiet when we should speak up
because it’s less controversial? Do we fear what others will think of
us? In our country we don’t have to be afraid of physical persecution
for our Christian faith, but do we always “practice what we preach?”
It’s not enough to say we believe - how do we live our beliefs?
Suzanne Blackstock
Who was the guilty? Who brought this on thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
“T’was I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee:
I crucified thee.”
Hymn - Ah, Holy Jesus
Johann Heermann (1585-1647)
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