Doing the Right Thing: Mark 14:66-72
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. No sentence describes my frustration with humanity more than this. How many times do I devote myself to doing better today, yet by the end of the day I find myself fallen again? How many times do I know my weak points only to watch myself succumb in those very same areas? We’ll never be perfect; that is a standard to which I will never be able to attain. Perhaps what is most important is that we continue to try, even though we cannot attain the perfect standard.
Peter follows behind Jesus at the fringe of the angry mob. He’s close enough to be among people who know what is going on, but far enough from the people in power that his life isn’t in any real danger. A servant girl approaches Peter and calls him out. She thinks she recognizes him, but Peter does an adequate job denying it to silence her. Peter fled from persecution, but he was given a chance to claim association with Jesus anyways. He fails to take the opportunity.
A little later, the servant girl spies Peter and this time she begins to talk to the people around her about Peter. The danger to Peter increases, and Peter more vehemently denies knowing Jesus. Later still, the people around Peter try to get him to confess to his association with Jesus and Peter denies it a third time. This last time Peter senses the danger around not just lurking but growing. He makes sure to deny it as seriously as possible by invoking a curse upon himself.
Peter is bent on making sure the people don’t realize he was as close to Jesus as he was. This statement isn’t meant in judgment, but it is meant in honest analysis. Peter and Jesus will get their relationship straightened out after Jesus’ resurrection. Peter will be forgiven. The power in this story isn’t in taking shots at Peter’s character; the power is in realizing that Peter makes a huge mistake.
Peter was most likely the disciple in closest relationship to Jesus, yet he still denies knowing Jesus when the world presses against him. He’s not perfect. He’s not always making the right decision. Once he realizes his mistake, he breaks down and repents.
That’s what God desires. God doesn’t expect – or even ask for – our perfection. Although God would be happy to have us always make the right decision, He doesn’t need us to do so to use us. He still wants relationship with us even though we are not perfect. Ultimately, that’s a good thing. After all, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
