Observation: The story of Peter's denial of Jesus is well known. What is interesting is to whom Peter is talking. Peter isn't denying his associated with Jesus to public officials, or temple guards, or Roman soldiers, or rich people of influence. Peter denies Jesus when he is asked about it by "servant girls". Both of the first two questions to him are posed by someone with that description, and given the location everyone else nearby would likely be a servant as well, simply up and awake and working in the middle of the night.
From a societal perspective, Peter actually outranks them. Servant girls would absolutely have the lowest of low positions in any social ladder, as they are not just servants, and not just women, but have all three strikes of being servants, female, and young. Peter - and adult, male citizen and even a business person - would likely be allowed to just ignore them as if they never spoke. He has no reason to have any concern about anything they say or think or ask or even accuse, perhaps even to the point of being able to have them punished for the indignity of them questioning him. Likewise, even though there are others there who can hear the conversation, they too are probably below Peter in station, and he would have no reason to be concerned about their opinions or even the likelihood they would do anything against him.
This is how difficult it is to publicly stand with Jesus. The definitive disciple who was the first and the boldest in declaring Jesus as the Messiah, the very son and manifestation of the Lord on earth, is unable to maintain his confidence when confronted by a little girl with absolutely no standing with no threat of causing harm to Peter for his beliefs.
Application: Every Christian, at some point, empathizes with Peter in this situation. I know I have and I do. I have felt the difficulty of publicly stating my faith. Sometimes this makes sense, such as when I am in a place where such a profession may cost me my job (and I have been in such a circumstance). However, many times this happens when those around us MIGHT disagree with our faith, and maybe even criticize us for it, but their opinions are absolutely meaningless and have no bearing on our lives. In fact, I have been worried about how others will perceive my faith when in a situation where I was around people I actively don't know and don't care about at all.
This is a strange dynamic, and yet again I would assert it has likely occurred to every Christian at some point. If it can happen to Peter, it can happen to me.
Well ... I'm tired of feeling that way. I mostly don't anymore, but there are still times when I'm self-conscious when expressing my faith. I want to put that behind me. I am proud to be a disciple of Jesus, and I really couldn't care what others think of that. In fact, knowing who would oppose my faith may let me know who is under the influence of satan, and who needs prayer for their redemption.
Every day I have the chance to tell someone that I am a believer. I want to take that opportunity more and more, and at the very least not be self-conscious over the reactions of people whose opinions don't matter nearly as much as God's opinions.
Prayer: Lord, I do believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. I have been Peter at his lowest. May I grown into being like Peter at his strongest. Amen.
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