Have you ever thought you were excelling in a particular area, and GOD proved otherwise? I certainly do. I thought I had climbed and crossed the attitude mountain; I resolved to live peaceably with everyone and advised others to do the same. But when I caught wind of some irritating remarks, I quickly transformed into the “other” me. The resultant thoughts and comments weren’t as Christian as I intended, and afterwards I felt horrible. I had been exposed – guilty of the behaviors I thought I’d overcome.
I think exposure made Peter cry bitterly in the text cited above. Prior to this scene, Peter felt pretty good about himself. He had correctly identified JESUS as the CHRIST, seen HIM clothed in glory on the mountaintop, and also vowed not to betray HIM, even if the other disciples did. But the courtyard at the high priest’s house proved otherwise: unexpected probing exposed the “other” Peter. The exposure wasn’t designed to make Peter run away; rather, it was intended to steer him toward CHRIST. This trial showed Peter that he needed CHRIST more than he assumed.
Trials have a way of revealing our true character. I guess that’s why James said, “when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy,” for it’s easy to get where you’re going when you know where you are. Indeed, trials make us better!