How Character is Built
A well publicized football game this week ended, sadly, as a running back from the visiting team threw a right-handed sucker punch at an opposing player. To make matters worse, it was televised on national TV on ESPN, and then run on nearly every national news agency in the US on prime time television focusing in on the action. The reaction of the public was quick and the punishment was for the young man was dealt quickly and without question. He was suspended for the year. That one moment of lapsed judgment cost the young player his opportunity to pursue his dream of playing football at a prestigious football program. In news articles following the event, the university allowed the student to continue his education and continue to be with the team without playing any games. It was discipline mixed with care for the student. I was glad to see that while they disciplined the young man, they didn’t throw him out as a reject to the team for his lapse of judgment. The young man went back to the university he had aggressed himself against and apologized for his mistake and stated he understood the consequences. While the incident itself was sad to see, the end result of discipline mixed with care, and the response of humility in accepting punishment and asking forgiveness could well be a start of greater character in the long haul for this young man.
The chain of events made me think of several Biblical examples of men that “lost their cool” in the line of duty, only to be used of God in other ways after going through God’s hand of loving discipline. Of those men, Peter and David stand out the most to me.
The Prediction of Peter’s Denial - Mark 14
14:27 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written,
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
14:28 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 14:29 Peter said to him, “Even if they all fall away, I will not!” 14:30 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth,today – this very night – before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 14:31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all of them said the same thing.
Peter was determined not to deny Christ, and exclaimed his loyalty loudly. He was completely sure of himself. It was Peter who also said that the Lord shouldn’t have to die, when Christ helped him understand that he must, and rebuked him as being led of Satan in that moment.
Then came Peter’s “Jumbo Tron” Moment … A moment captured in the writings of the scriptures for all time and eternity, and instant playback.
Peter’s Denials (Mark 14:66 – 72)
14:66 Now while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s slave girls came by. 14:67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked directly at him and said, “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus.” 14:68 But he denied it: “I don’t even understand what you’re talking about!” Then he went out to the gateway, and a rooster crowed. 14:69 When the slave girl saw him, she began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 14:70 But he denied it again. A short time later the bystanders again said to Peter, “You must be one of them, because you are also a Galilean.” 14:71 Then he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 14:72 Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Peter was caught in his own humanity. He thought he had the character to stand with the Lord he loved, but when his moment of truth came, he lost it. He began to curse and swore with an oath. Then the rooster began crowing, just as predicted, and Peter realized he had just failed miserably in the test he was given. He broke down and wept openly because he knew he had failed. He learned many things in that disciplined moment of failure that Jesus Christ knew would serve him well as he carried out his Great Commission, and remained as one of his apostles.
The good news hear is that God in his great mercy, didn’t throw Peter out on the basis of performance, but instead, allowed the growth of character and humility to be nurtured by forgiveness, and new opportunity. In fact, Christ later said to Peter, “Upon this Rock, I will build my church”, and in the writings of Peter, he recounted in scripture the foundation of his lesson as seen in the following verse.
I Peter 5:5 – 11
5:5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.5:6 And God will exalt you in due time,10 if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand 5:7 by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you. 5:8 Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. 5:9 Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering. 5:10 And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 5:11 To him belongs the power forever. Amen.
Those verses were well written in the tables of Peter’s heart when he had his “Jumbo Tron” moment, where all had seen his errors and he felt the humiliation before Christ for his actions. Jesus, seeing Peter’s remorse, understood the nature of man, a picked Peter up and set him on his feet to walk again the path of true character and testing. He now was in a position to hear the voice of God loudly and clearly.
Life will deliver moments for all of us when we face our failings, and the failings of others. It is easy to get caught up, much like public opinion, and point fingers and blame, and cast judgment quickly upon both ourselves and others. I am encouraged by this story, and the story of Peter to think differently toward not only our own failings, but the failings of those around us.
Do we see the evidence of a contrite heart ?
Do we know that Jesus Christ stands ready to forgive, discipline, and build character that lasts in each one of us, regardless of our failures ?
Psalm 51 captured the heart of David before the Lord when he failed in a big way.
51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of3 your loyal love! Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts! 51:2 Wash away my wrongdoing!6 Cleanse me of my sin! 51:3 For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin. 51:4 Against you – you above all10 – I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.So you are just when you confront me;12you are right when you condemn me. 51:5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.51:6 Look,you desire integrity in the inner man;you want me to possess wisdom.51:7 Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure;wash me and I will be whiter than snow.51:8 Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven! May the bones you crushed rejoice! 51:9 Hide your face27 from my sins!Wipe away all my guilt! 51: Create for me a pure heart, O God! Renew a resolute spirit within me! 51:11 Do not reject me! Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!51:12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey!51:13 Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways,and sinners will turn to you.51:14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me!Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance.51:15 O Lord, give me the words!Then my mouth will praise you.51:16 Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it;you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.51:17 The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit – O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.
Clearly these verses reflect the spirit God desires in man, and the character God will build into the heart of a man or woman humbled before him completely. I love verse 8, where David asks God to grant him ultimate joy that comes with forgiveness before God, and then says, May the bones you crushed rejoice…. What a God, to discipline, love, and lift, and never lose sight of the man he created.
I hope this writing encourages you with the failures you have faced in this life, and to see your value (and those around you who have failed) that God places on you.
You are Valued !!
His Servant,
Jeff Dyk
281-750-9104
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