And while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the slave women of the high priest *came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and *said, “You were with Jesus the Nazarene as well.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” And he went out onto the porch. The slave woman saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them!” But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “You really are one of them, for you are a Galilean as well.” But he began to curse himself and to swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”

Have you ever lied without hesitation and later wondered why? This sin is surprising at times because it is not always done to be intentionally malicious, but out of self-preservation. It may start with a white lie we could justify or explain away and snowballs to direct lies to preserve yourself and maintain the lie you created. As Jesus went toward the cross, Peter struggled. When Jesus felt close to defend him, Peter was bold and ready to defend Jesus too. But now that Jesus was far from the scene and His death imminent, Peter distanced himself from the Messiah. Peter’s denial started by acting like he didn’t understand the person speaking and then snowballed to a direct lie that covered the truth, even to the point of cursing himself. Within a matter of hours, Peter, the disciple always eager to stand up for Jesus, denied ever knowing Him.

Even with the best intentions and the greatest determination, we can fall into the same struggle as Peter. We pride ourselves for standing up for Jesus for the causes that matter most to us but turn toward self-preservation in the moments that are inconvenient or uncomfortable. When we feel far from Jesus or see that following Him may lead into something uncomfortable or costly, we quickly shift into self-preservation mode. Jesus said in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” Jesus knows this desire to be protected, to be cared for, and to be guided. We can trust that He will care for us in every moment, no matter what it costs us in the world.

• When have you chosen self-preservation over surrender to and trust in God?
• What are some ways we deny Jesus? How is this most challenging for you?
• Pray and thank God that our lives are hidden in Him. Ask Him to care for your needs as you walk with Him.