Impetuous Peter!

Impetuous Peter! How easy it is for us to identify with the Apostle Peter. There was no way that he was going to let Jesus wash his feet. Yet, when Jesus said, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me," Peter replied, "Lort, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
(John 13:6-9, King James Version)

Impetuous Peter!

How I love impetuous Peter! I can so identify with Him. Jesus came up to him to wash his feet, and Peter said, "There is no way you are going to wash my feet; I should be washing your feet. You are the Master; I am your servant."

And, He was right! However, how did Jesus answer him?

If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

Then, how did Peter respond?

Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

That always makes me smile! The key to this passage is found in verse 7.

What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

Did Peter understand, later, what Jesus was demonstrating to him?

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
(1 Peter 2:15-16, King James Version)

Yes, he did get the message, and so must we. We are to put to silence the ignorance of foolsh men . . . as the servants of God.

We are called to be servants - servants of God and servants of men. It is with our humble service to God, which was so aptly demonstrated by Jesus to Peter, that we will put to silence the foolish objections of those ignorant ones who do not know the Lord.

That is not exactly what we want to hear, is it? Servants! Do you mean servants, even to those who do not deserve it? Yes, that is exactly the point of Christ's demonstration to Peter.

This was not an easy lesson for impetuous Peter to learn, but if he could do it, then so could we--not by our own power or strength, but by the help of the Holy Spirit within us who guides us in the way we should go!

Next: Key to Happiness - Verses 10-17