Aren\u2019t you glad Jesus patiently varies his responses? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have you noticed how many times Peter tried to tell Jesus what to do? The first thing that comes to mind is after Peter\u2019s confession, “You are the Christ…” in Matthew 16 (a good thing!), he tries to tell Jesus not to go to the cross (a bad thing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, \u201cFar be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.\u201d<\/strong> But he turned and said to Peter, \u201cGet behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.\u201d (Matthew 16.21 – 23, ESV, emphasis mine)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But the pattern started early. After the miraculous catch of fish, Peter\u2019s reaction is, \u201cGo away!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Simon Peter saw this astonishing miracle, he knelt at Jesus\u2019 feet and begged him, \u201cGo away from me, Master, for I am a sinful man!<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0Simon Peter and the other fishermen\u2014including his fishing partners, Jacob and John, the sons of Zebedee\u2014were awestruck over the miracle catch of fish. Jesus answered, \u201cDo not yield to your fear, Simon Peter. From now on you will catch men for salvation!\u201d\u00a0After pulling their boats to the shore, they left everything behind and followed Jesus. (Luke 5.8 – 11, Passion Translation, emphasis mine)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, in John 13, Peter tries to keep Jesus from washing his feet.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, \u201cLord, are you going to wash my feet?\u201d Jesus replied, \u201cYou do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.\u201d \u201cNo,\u201d said Peter, \u201cyou shall never wash my feet<\/strong>.\u201d Jesus answered, \u201cUnless I wash you, you have no part with\u00a0me.\u201d \u201cThen, Lord,\u201d Simon Peter replied, \u201cnot just my feet but my hands and my head as well!\u201d Jesus answered, \u201cThose who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.\u201d (John 13.6 – 10, NIV, emphasis mine)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Three impetuous declarations, three responses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus reminds us that there is no “one size fits all” approach to interactions. Or, as a friend of mine said once, “Answer the questioner<\/em><\/strong>, not the question.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4.6, NIV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. (1 Thessalonians 5.14, NIV)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Aren\u2019t you glad Jesus patiently varies his responses? Have you noticed how many times Peter tried to tell Jesus what to do? The first thing that comes to mind is after Peter\u2019s confession, “You are the Christ…” in Matthew 16 (a good thing!), he tries to tell Jesus not to go to the cross (a … Continue reading Tailored responses<\/span>