Company Matters
Before leaving the telling of Peter’s denial of Christ, we need to actually look at what led up to it. We discussed Peter’s personality yesterday, but was there more to his denial than simply the way God wired him? David Guzik promotes that there was. He comments that where Peter chose to be mattered in his failure to remain faithful. The first thing he points out was that Peter followed Jesus at a distance (Mark 14:54). David Guzik comments, “When we distance ourselves from Jesus, it is hard to make a proper stand for Him at the critical time.”
When we look at the times when Peter showed tremendous bravery, we can see those were the times when he was beside his Savior. The same is true for us. When we spend time in the Word and prayer, we are more apt to respond as Christ would. We are more likely to walk in his footsteps and not our own. Where we stand, and who we stand with, matters.
The next thing Mr. Guzik points out is whose company Peter kept. In Mark 14:54, we read, “And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, and warming himself at the fire.” To put this in its proper perspective, we need to understand just who those guards were. Verse 65 tells us they were the same men (the same Greek word used) who spit on Jesus and “received him with blows.” Mr. Guzik comments, “Peter found fellowship and warmth in the company of the ungodly, having forsaken the fellowship of the fleeing disciples. Peter wanted to seem just one of this crowd, not a follower of Jesus.” Instead of surrounding himself with others who could comfort and encourage him, he placed himself in the enemy camp, surrounded by those who hated everything his rabbi stood for.
Peter set himself up for failure, and so do we when we act as he did. We cannot expect to be victorious on our own. This is why unity is so prized in God’s kingdom. We need the support of our brothers and sisters. We need each other’s prayers and encouragement. We desperately need to be reminded of where the edge of the cliff is. We can become so blinded by our weakness or even our ambition that we run right off the path God prescribed. For all these reasons, it is of utmost importance that we choose the company we keep carefully. Will those we surround ourselves with lead us closer to God or pull us further away? If we keep God’s word close to our hearts, we will not find ourselves like Peter, remembering them and weeping bitterly because we have sinned.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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