Scripture:
“Now Peter got really nervous and swore, ‘I never laid eyes on this man you’re talking about.’ Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, ‘Before a rooster crows twice, you’ll deny me three times.’ He collapsed in tears.” Mark 14:72-73
Perspective:
If someone walked up to you at church and said, “You are preaching in 5 minutes. Be ready.” Most people would panic. The thought of speaking in front of people with no preparation would make most people nervous. Those 5 minutes would be the longest five minutes of your life.
When Peter was confronted about knowing Jesus, he wasn’t standing on a platform; rather, he was standing on life’s stage and nerves got the best of him. He couldn’t even admit that he knew Jesus. All the years that he had spent getting to know Jesus seemed to evaporate in that moment. Peter got nervous, which led him to fear the people around him. When you are nervous, it is easy to give into fear and apprehension. When a team chokes at a big sporting event, people will comment, “Well, nerves just got the best of them.” Although fear can be a natural, God-given emotion, it is imperative that it does not encroach on our character or resolve. Peter learned a valuable lesson about being nervous. When you are overcome by a sense of nervousness, you can miss God-ordained opportunities to share the good news of Jesus. Next time you are confronted about your faith, ask God for boldness and don’t let nerves get the best of you.
