Scripture: John 21:17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Devotional: To be loyal is to be unswerving in allegiance, to be completely sold out to something, and to stand by someone or something regardless of the circumstances. Loyalty is a virtue that we see less and less because people are becoming more interested in themselves. When push comes to shove, people will often make the decision that benefits themselves the most. It may not matter how long you have been friends, how long you have worked together, or how much you have been through. Ultimately, people are selfish. Sometimes we receive the brunt of that and sometimes we are the ones acting selfishly.
Peter is a great example of someone in the Bible who shows both loyalty and disloyalty. For three years, Peter was an apostle of Jesus. He followed Jesus everywhere. He witnessed Jesus perform miracles, had meals with Him, and exchanged a moment where Jesus proclaimed that Peter’s confession of faith would be the foundation for the Church. And yet, when Jesus had been arrested and was being tried, Peter denied that he knew Him. Not once, not twice, but three times! He swore that he did not know Jesus. Perhaps it was out of fear. Perhaps it was out of shame.
Later in the book of John, in chapter 21, after Jesus has risen and come back, he talks with Peter. Jesus asks him three times if he loves Him. Each time, Peter says yes. After this encounter, Peter dedicated his life to sharing about Jesus and leading those who believe in Him. In just one story, we see both loyalty and disloyalty. Dedication to the man Peter knows to be his Savior, denial of the same man, and allegiance to give his life sharing about that man. What an incredible example of how God uses broken and sinful people like you and me.
Reflect:
- When you think of loyalty, who or what comes to mind?
