When You Have to Eat Your Words

"Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."  Prov. 16:18

Have you ever just swore that you would never do something, but then ended up eating your words later?  Perhaps you said:

• I'll never drive a minivan!
• I'll never let my daughter date that boy!
• I'll never eat at that restaurant again!

Or perhaps your statements were of a more serious nature, like:

• I'll never become an alcoholic.
• I'll never get a divorce.
• I'll never get addicted to those pain pills.

We see a serious "I'll never" statement in the hours leading up to Jesus' arrest.  Jesus tells His disciples that they will all fall away before all is said and done.  They were all in agreement that there would absolutely be no way that would ever happen, but Peter was the boldest and most adamant about his unwavering loyalty to Jesus.

Peter was so sure and confident that he was completely sold out for Jesus that there would be nothing that would cause him to stumble. After Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him multiple times before the sun could even come up, Peter responded:

"Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." Matt. 26:35

Well, Peter's "I'll never" statement would come back to haunt him and he would have to eat his words.  Perhaps Peter learned the hard way to:

"Never say never!".

Peter was so proud of his unfettered loyalty to Jesus that he was certain that all of the other disciples might be capable of abandoning Christ, but he could never do such a thing.  I'm sure that he not only thought that he would never deny Christ, but I'm sure He was absolutely certain that He would never deny Him three whole times like Jesus had predicted.

Unhealthy pride is extremely dangerous.  Peter's pride was just as detrimental as his three denials of Christ.  His pride preceded his fall, as is almost always the case. 

What kind of unhealthy pride do you possess? 

• Are you proud of what you have accomplished in your life?
• Are you like Peter and think you are imcapable of falling into certain sins?
• Are you too proud to admit before God and fellow believers the sins that do ensnare you?

I hope that we all can learn from Peter that the old proverb about pride going before a fall is more than just a saying.  It has proven true in the lives of many people through the ages, including my own.  However, the amazing thing about grace is that when we fall, we don't have to stay down.  It might even be that after our fall God is capable of using us for His glory in a way that wasn't possible before.   

Don't give up on Peter yet . . . he might have fallen, but he's going to get up!  Next week Jesus is going to give him a "do-over"!

Thank God for the "do-overs" that He gives each one of us!