What Happens When We Screw Up?

This week at Everyday Truth, we're celebrating Easter with a family devotional each day. Each one is designed to be used with your kids to take a look at a different aspect of the Easter story.


Today, let's talk about one of my favorite figures in the Bible -- Peter. He plays a small but important role in the events leading up to Jesus' death. Peter was the disciple I would vote as Most Likely to Say the Wrong Thing. He rarely thought before he spoke and was always rushing into the things. Jesus had to save Peter from his own impulsiveness more than once.

Peter was the guy that jumped out of the boat when Jesus was walking on the water. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he could walk on the water, too. But when he looked down at the water and let fear and doubt creep in, he began to sink. Jesus had to save him.

During the final meal Jesus would eat with his disciples, Peter again became the center of attention. He made some rash statements that would come back to haunt him later. Look at what happens in Luke 22:31-34:

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”


But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

Peter didn't believe that he could ever turn his back on Jesus. Yet, just hours later, after Jesus had been taken away by the Roman soldiers, Peter would be asked three times if he was one of Jesus' followers. Three times he would deny that he belonged to the group of people that followed Jesus. And then the rooster crowed.

Peter screwed up. At the moment when it was most difficult to be a follower of Jesus, Peter turned his back on Jesus. He said he didn't know Jesus.

That could have been the end of the story, but it's not. We know that Jesus was crucified and rose again three days later. We're going to look at those two big events tomorrow and the next day. For now, let's focus on what happened to Peter after Jesus rose from the dead.

Jesus appeared to his disciples several times after he rose again. One day, Jesus appeared to the disciples while they were out fishing. Look at what happens in John 21:7: "Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ;It is the Lord!' As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, 'It is the Lord,' he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water." Peter had not forgotten how much he loved Jesus. He was so excited to see Him again that he couldn't even wait for the boat to get to the shore. He jumped out to reach Jesus.

Then, Jesus did something important. He forgave Peter and gave him the task of looking after the people who would become the early church. In John 21:15-19, Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Jesus. Peter answers yes all three times. Jesus then tells Peter to feed Jesus' sheep. Despite Peter's major screw-up, Jesus is putting Peter in charge of caring for His followers. It's a big responsibility and one that will ultimately end in Peter's death.

Why is all of this important for us? Because when we follow Jesus, it is inevitable that at some point, we will screw it up. We will not stand up for Jesus when we should or we will pretend we don't know Jesus when it would make us uncomfortable. But, just like Peter, when we screw up, Jesus is waiting to forgive us and say again to us "Follow me."

Can you think of a time when you pretended you didn't know Jesus? Maybe a time when you made a choice that you knew went against God's commands? Those are the moments when we turn our backs on Jesus. When we do that, we need to ask for forgiveness and try again. Jesus is waiting for us to acknowledge our poor choice and jump right back in to following Him. His death on the cross allows Him to offer us that forgiveness.

So, when we have our "Peter moments" when we choose to ignore Jesus, remember that Jesus is simply waiting for us to come crashing out of the boat to return to Him. And, He's always willing to forgive our screw-ups and set us back on the right path -- because He loves us.

Who Would Have Thought?

He was born in a humble log cabin. He taught himself to read. He lost the first time he ran for public office. He suffered from depression. He lost a son, and his wife never recovered from the loss. He also was the 16th president of the United States, led the country through the Civil War and signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves. When you look at Abraham Lincoln's humble beginnings, would you have thought he would turn out to be one of the most influential men ever to hold the office of president?

I recently attended a workshop by Cecil Murphy that asked the question "who would have thought?" The workshop was about unlikely books that were published and became best sellers. The idea behind it all was that God sometimes uses the most unlikely people to reach others for Him. I've been pondering this idea and started noticing in my Bible study time all the places that God used the unlikely person instead of the obvious one to accomplish His purpose.

We all have moments when we're discouraged and don't think God can use us. Know that it is in those moments that God is most able to use us. When we are broken, God is most able to let His light shine through our lives because we know it isn't anything that we are doing but all that God is doing. Our kids face times of discouragement as well -- times when they feel unloved and unloveable, times when they think they will never accomplish anything. When your kids feel this way, show them some of the stories in the Bible of men and women that God used in amazing ways. Help them to see that God will use all of their gifts, talents and even disappointments as He grows them into the person He wants them to be. Here's a few examples of unlikely people that God used.

• Judah. Judah was one of Joseph's brothers. As a matter of fact, he's the brother that came up with the idea to sell Joseph into slavery. Of Jacob's 12 sons, the logical person to head the branch of the family that would be Jesus' branch would have been Joseph. He was wise, he was godly, he was forgiving and he was strong. Yet, God chose Judah. In Genesis 49:10 Jacob gives his blessing to Judah, and he says "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his." Jesus descended from the line of Judah. Who would have thought?
• Ruth. Ruth was a Moabitess, a sworn enemy of the Israelites. Yet, through her loyalty and courage, she married Boaz and became the grandmother of David and a part of the lineage of Christ. Who would have thought?
• Peter. Peter was a fisherman. He wasn't a speaker. He wasn't a rabbi trained in the scripture. He was simply a Jewish fisherman who answered Jesus' call to "Follow me." Peter was brash, bold and sometimes ridiculously obtuse. He denied Jesus three times. Yet, Peter is the one who recognized Jesus as the son of God. He's the one who stepped out of the boat and walked on the water. Peter is the one that Jesus called "the rock." Peter spent the rest of his life proclaiming the gospel and was killed for his belief. Who would have thought?
• Saul/Paul. Saul was the person who held the coats while Stephen was stoned. He sought out believers and killed them. Having Saul knock on your door was a frightening experience for the early church believers. God changed Saul's name to Paul and rearranged Paul's life. Paul became the biggest champion of the gospel in the early church. He was the world's first missionary. He spent countless years of his life in jail because he preached the gospel and was eventually killed for his belief. Who would have thought?

We all have our own "who would have thought" stories -- people we've met along the paths of our lives who are being used by God in amazing ways, especially considering where they started. It may even be your own life that is a "who would have thought" story. Keep in mind that our kids need to hear these stories. Being a kid is tough sometimes, and kids tend to have a very limited view of the future. If life is upsetting now, it seems to them that it will always be upsetting. Sharing stories with your kids of the way God can use the most unlikely of people helps them see a longer term view of the world. What "who would have thought" story can you share with your kids?