Do You Deny?

By Pat

"As Simon Peter stood warming himself, as was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it, saying, "I am not."" (John 18:25)

Have you ever denied being a follower of Jesus? I have. Not verbally, for I have always readily proclaimed my Christianity. And yet, sadly, I have indeed denied Jesus.

When I have raised my voice in anger and allowed unkind words to flow from my lips, I have denied Jesus. When I have acted selfishly, or forgotten that true riches are found in the heart, I have denied Jesus. Each time I have used a lame excuse not to lend a helping hand to a person in need, I have denied Him. And worst of all, when I have allowed the difficult circumstances surrounding me to weaken my faith and question God's love for me, I have denied Jesus.

Instead of shunning Peter, Jesus understood his human weakness and not only forgave him, but used him as the rock upon which He would build His church. (Matthew 16:18). We must try to live our lives in a way that serves and glorifies Jesus so fully that, if asked if we are followers of Jesus, we need not answer aloud, but instead let our actions shout with a resounding "YES!"

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.