Unlikely Likeables: Peter the Impulsive

July 21, 2022

Thursday

22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto

thee.”

Matthew 16:22

In terms of human strengths and weaknesses, many counselors hold the view that

weaknesses are simply strengths misused or over-applied. Or, a weakness is an immature

expression of a strength. For example, impulsivity, speaking without thinking, and hyper-

activity might mellow into enthusiasm, boldness, and proactivity. That might have been the

case with the apostle Peter.

Peter is a favorite disciple of many Christians, though he suffered from a continuing case of

foot-in-mouth disease from speaking without thinking. For instance, when Jesus told His

disciples He would be killed in Jerusalem, Peter immediately rebuked Him: Not going to

happen, Lord! Instead of asking for an explanation, Peter assumed he knew better. And

when Jesus predicted Peter would deny Him three times, Peter insisted—twice—that he

would never deny or disown the Lord. Impulsive? Yes. But then Peter became the epitome

of boldness in the early chapters of Acts.

Maturity takes time; the fruit of the Spirit is evidence of God’s conforming us to the image

of Christ. Today’s weakness can become tomorrow’s strength.

A point to ponder…

There are no shortcuts to spiritual maturity. It takes time to be holy.

Erwin W. Lutzer

Read the Bible through in a year

Proverbs 24-26

I love you!!!

Category: Daily Devotions