Embarassment Or Witness? Series

Everybody looked at me as if I had two heads. They groaned and they grunted, and I was so embarrassed! Here I had tried to say the right thing and I was being put down for it! What is wrong with all these other milquetoasts around me?

Oh, oh. Getting too involved in my thoughts. Better watch it. I’ll be caught off guard. Here, let me warm my hands again. They’ll think it odd if I stay away from the fire on a night like tonight. They’ll notice me if I don’t just do the normal things. Got to stow this knife though.

Well, think of it, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” I was out there all alone. But, you know, Jesus redeemed that moment of embarrassment. He picked right up and told us all that I was right. He explained that indeed that was the way we should regard Him. He made it all right that I should blurt out so radical a thing! He made my embarrassment into a witness! It ‘s great how he can do that!

Oh, but not twenty minutes later, it all happened again. Jesus went on about how He would go to Jerusalem and suffer and be rejected and killed. I couldn’t take that. That was not what I wanted to hear. And so, without thinking, again I opened my mouth, only to let the demons of embarrassment escape. I rebuked Jesus. I said, “This must not happen. This cannot happen. I will not let it happen.” I got quite agitated about it. What a fire in His eyes when he said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” What an awful moment! The others hid their faces, but I knew they were snickering and snarling behind their self-imposed masks! I just knew it! Embarrassment.

But, look out now. I cannot waste time worrying about all of that. The situation is desperate now. They have Jesus. John has gone in after Him. I’m out here, doing God knows what, but because I don’t have any place else to go, and I am the guy who couldn’t hold back. I had to draw my sword on a palace guard. They will be after me. They are after me. And the woman knows, or thinks she knows, who I am. I had to lie. Lying was the only way out.

But a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. I told Him I would never desert Him. He said I would deny Him three times before the cock crows twice. But, well, He knew that was just another one of my embarrassing bluffs. He would understand. Can’t do Him or myself any good dead, now can I?

Oh! What was that! Sounded like a rooster crowing for the morning! I see the first fingers of dawn’s early light over the wall. Hmm. Cockcrow. Well. That’s only once. Doesn’t mean anything, does it?

Huh? What’s this? The woman! She’s coming over here again. Don’t look at her. Just focus on the fire, focus on the fire. Keep warm. No, keep cool. Uh.

What?! Me, one of His disciples? You mean, what’s His name, the Galilean? No, no, never heard of Him. Don’t know anything about Him. Don’t know anything about anything. Sure is cold out here. Who’s minding your guard post, lady?

Wonder if my face is burning? Do I show it? What a terrible moment! She heard my Galilean accent. Never thought about that. Should have made up a story to cover that. But when you lie, you have to lie again. Got to keep up the show. Got to be one of the boys, once you start that game.