Luke 22:54-62 NASB
[54] Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. [55] After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. [56] And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” [57] But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” [58] A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” [59] After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” [60] But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. [61] The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” [62] And he went out and wept bitterly.

Dear God, I wonder what it would be like to have my biggest (or at least one of my biggest failures) recorded multiple times for all time. Poor Peter. I am grateful here for his example. I’ve always like Peter more than Paul because his weaknesses are on full display, as opposed to Paul who never seems to make any mistakes after his conversion.

One thing I have to be willing to do is show my weaknesses and let others see my mistakes. I am not any good to others when they aren’t able to see what I do wrong, where I am weak, and when I suffer. And it has to be in real time. It can’t always be examples from the past that I’ve cleaned up now, but I have to let people know who I am and my weaknesses in the moment. At the same time, I need to also show them how you are helping me to work through my weaknesses and challenges. I should be sharing from the perspective of having a pity party for myself, but as an encouragement to others.

Father, teach me to love. That includes being a humble example for others so that they might be encouraged in their journey. I don’t want people to feel judged by me, but to feel your grace, love, and acceptance through me. Do all of this, Lord, for your glory.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen