Scripture: “Then (Jesus) strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must:
- Go to Jerusalem, and;
- Suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and;
- Be killed and;
- On the third day be raised.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying, ‘Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.’
But (Jesus) turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a hinderance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’” Matt 17:20-23
Observation: How would I think about Jesus confirming that He was the Christ and then being told “Don’t tell anyone…don’t talk about this.”? What is up with that?
Application: Where is it in my current life that I am not setting my mind on the things of God?
Look at the passage: “I have to go to Jerusalem, the bigwigs are going to beat me up, and kill me. No, really–kill me, no fooling. But in 3 days after that I will be raised from the dead. Yessiree bob, that’s the plan—what do you think?”
I would be dumbfounded. Wide eyed, slack jawed, stopped in my tracks. I wouldn’t know what to do or say…
Peter, oh, Peter—all off the compliment of “Blessed are you, Simon bar Jonah” and maybe feeling on the perky side, pulled Jesus to the side and urgently whispered, “Stop talking like that, Lord—ain’t going to happen…” thinking that his buddy Jesus has encountered brain fade and needs straightening out.
How many times have I jumped in to take “leadership” or tried to manage a situation just to find out that, what? Was it needed? Was I the right guy for the time? Was I hearing the Holy Spirit and reacting or communicating the Will of God correctly?
Was I putting my thoughts of “rightness” before God? Where was my mind in all of this? Was it the Word of Me or the Word of God?
Jesus caught Peter with thinking about what Peter thought was right instead of backing up to a few moments earlier (“You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God…”) and thinking about “…maybe He knows something I need to listen to…”
I am like that. I get all feeling holy, godly, and all that and I think that my thoughts are right in sync with the Holy Spirit; can’t go wrong, I got that prophet feeling all around me. It doesn’t take long that I square my shoulders, look in the mirror and say with conviction, “I can’t believe you just did/said that…You are sooo much a dunce.”
So what do I do? Confess, repent, get up again and go—prepared to repeat but hoping I was taught something.
This is what I learn most days: It is better to keep my mouth shut and thought a fool than open it and supply proof. Prov 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
Prayer: Lord, I can read with disdain for Peter and heartily agree with your rebuke—all the while fooling myself that I would be sooo different. Sad fact is I wouldn’t be different at all.
Father, help me hear your whisper. Help me shut up enough that I don’t overpower my ears from hearing You. AMEN.