“Pray Against The ‘Peter Mindset!'”(Mt.16:21-27).
One of Cameroon’s politician will fondly be remembered for having said, “We do not change a winning team.”
I remember the story of a football encounter between two schools. It was a championship finals. The goal which would have been a decisive winning goal happened to be a handball. The referee had not seen that the scorer erroneously used his hand, but the coach of the scorer saw it. While the referee declared it a goal, the coach challenged the goal and insisted that the goal was not clean. The entire school, both teachers and students could not understand why their coach argued against a goal the referee had accepted. At the end of the match that school lost the match – to the vexation of the entire school who had seething anger against their coach. However, over time they all respected the coach. The team and school lost the match but they won their integrity and honour.
The world is characterized by people who measure success on a straight line and the spirit is that success must not be daunted with hitches and setbacks. Such is what I call “The Peter mindset!” Jesus had come to a moment in his ministry where he concerned himself with preparing his disciples for his coming suffering and death. He explained to them “that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hand of the elders, chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!”
My worry: Who does Peter think he is to interject a “Never!” to a decision that God has finalized! Peter was too full of himself to say, “Never” twice! Peter’s audacity could only be the voice of Satan speaking through him in the same way that he spoke through the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
Jesus did not mince words as he told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Those who have the things of men hear what is said or read what is written but choose what they want.
Otherwise, we are pondering: What was it that Peter was talking about when he said, “This shall never happen to you!”? Was he against the suffering and death of Jesus, or against the fact that on the third day he will be raised to life?
Some lessons gleaned from the text:
- Jesus is so humble that he allows his subordinates to take him aside and rebuke him.
- Consider all that is said or written before responding.
- Do not focus on the physical at the expense of the spiritual.
- Do not allow Satan to speak through you.
- As you follow the Lord Jesus Christ pray not to have the Peter mindset.
- Above all, to follow Christ he says you must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me. There is no gain in gaining the whole world at the forfeit of your life!
And this self-denial is what we must be in this Lent Season!
Prayer: Holy Spirit direct my focus beyond suffering and death to the joy of the resurrection. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.