Thought For Today: “Getting Burned”

Peter had a problem with discernment.

“Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.” (Luke 22:55)

It’s not that Peter didn’t want to be close to Jesus, he just didn’t want to be close enough to be connected. Peter showed a real lack of discernment because he ends up smack dab in the enemy’s camp. He went into the courtyard of the high priest, the very person who had Jesus arrested.

Peter wants to maintain some contact, but not close enough to do any good.

Many who want to be a Christian don’t want to identify themselves with Christ in their everyday lives. They want to have some contact, so they come to church occasionally, but continue to live their lives on their own terms.

But while Peter warms himself at their fire he gets burned. We can’t sit with the enemy and warm ourselves without our consciences becoming burned in the process. When we follow Jesus from a distance, we’ll begin to lose contact and closeness with Him, and soon we’ll find ourselves not only in the enemy’s camp, but we’ve set up our tent as well.