The Apostle Peter is one of my heroes, but not for the reason most might think.
First, you need to get a reasonable picture of Peter from the Scripture. He was outspoken [John 6:68], he was one of the inner circle of the apostles [Matthew 17:1]. He was the leader of the early Jewish Church [Acts 2] and Jesus singled him out several times [Luke 22:31-32]. Peter was the only man other than Christ to walk on water [Matthew 14:28], and his statement of faith is epoch [Matthew 16:15-19]. Peter was willing to die for the Lord Jesus at His arrest by trying to take off the head of one of the attackers [he missed and only got an ear] knowing they were heavily outnumbered with little chance of survival [John 18:10]. But these are not the reasons Peter is my personal hero.
Second, along comes this upstart who was nowhere around when all of the above was happening. Saul, who is later called Paul, was a young man when Stephen was killed by stoning [Acts 7:58]. Paul was a persecutor of the church that Peter was leading. Paul does see Jesus, and is converted, and is given the revelations of the Gentile church doctrine [Ephesians 3:3; Galatians 2:7]. As the Book of Acts progresses, Peter’s ministry becomes less prominent and Paul’s ministry continues to be more the focus of the Christian movement.
Now, with all of that going on, you would think that Peter would maybe have the human quality of envy. Peter had several sins in his life which the Scriptures record. But the Bible gives us one clear example of the heart of Peter, which is why I admire him so much.
In Galatians chapter 2, Paul records an incident in which Peter is eating with some Gentiles [which was then allowed but was new]. When news that some Jews from Jerusalem showed up, Peter removed himself from the Gentiles. Others noticed and then did the same. This infuriated Paul, whose God given ministry was to these Gentiles. So, Paul rebukes this stalwart of the faith, Peter. Not only does he rebuke Peter, but he does so very publicly [Galatians 2:11].
If there is one thing I have learned through my experience, older preachers do not take very kindly to being corrected or rebuked, especially by much younger men. Peter’s response is not given in Galatians, but it is given in Peter’s own writings of the books called First and Second Peter. As history continues to move westward, God moves Peter eastward. [Sorry, but there is no Biblical record of Peter being in Rome or being crucified upside down]. Peter ends up in what was a once prominent place, but by then is only a backwater village called Babylon [I Peter 5:13]. And from Babylon, Peter describes Paul as “our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him”. Peter knew the hand of God was on Paul and was all for the will of God rather than his own ego or glory.
These are the reasons I admire Peter so much, and the lessons I want to apply to my own life:
- Always be correctable. As long as it is Biblical, take correction from anyone God uses to deliver it.
- Remember, it is all about Christ, not about your ego.
- Christianity is so much bigger than you or anyone you know. Be thankful you can be a part of it.
- Serve where God puts you. You are not trying to make a name for yourself, but be a testimony for Christ.
- There is a judgment to come. We will be rewarded then, not now. [I Corinthians 15:58]
