Luke 22:54-60a
Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” Then about an hour later yet another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!”
Fear is a powerful thing.
Characters in Frank Herbert’s classic novel Dune call fear “the mind killer.” I think that’s right. Fear paralyzes our ability to think, to assess, to make sound judgments. It’s paralyzing, constricting our entire worldview until all we can see is the single, solitary object of our fear right in front of us.
Fear is a powerful thing. And Peter has much of which to be afraid. Authorities have just taken his friend and leader by force. They are hauling him to a trial, his fate uncertain at best, but likely dire. His friends have been scattered. He is alone, unable to abandon his Lord but unsure of what, if anything, he can do. Following along at a distance, he now finds himself in the courtyard of the home of the high priest.
The high priest! How did he ever wind up here?! Peter has never been anywhere near a person as powerful as this, and while the servants and workers gathered around a fire to warm themselves are familiar with the surroundings, Peter feels both out of place and at risk.
And then it happens. He is identified as one of Jesus’ followers, and Peter’s vision, his future, is narrowed down entirely to a single, small, tunnel of fear. He cannot fight; flight is his only possibility. And so he lies. He denies. And when they don’t believe him he persists, intensifying his claim, his denial, his betrayal. It’s amazing he lasted as long as he did. An entire hour he stayed, until one more person tried to identify him with Jesus and he denied yet a third time.
Yes, fear is a powerful thing. And a terrible thing. May we be preserved from such fear.
Prayer: Dear God, when we are beset by fear, turn us toward you, bolster our faith, and strengthen our courage that we may see the world of opportunity and blessing that surrounds us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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