Paul tells a story in Galations 2 of how he rebuked Peter. Now I know that Peter was a very impulsive disciple, but something in this story struck me.
Paul starts by telling of his visit with Peter and a few others and how they decided who would go where and preach to who. Then he jumps up to when Peter came back to Antinoch and he had to "oppose him to his face."
Paul did this because when some "popular" "rich" "cheer captain" "boss's wife" "footbal star" "cool mom" "wealthy person" etc. came Peter started treating the "plain people" "poor" "nerd" "weirdo" "janitor" "working class" etc. like the others did.
Well Paul being Pauls tells him off. When reading this it was almost a sense of relief and hope. Peter messed it up too. AFTER he had already grown so much. He wasn't following around Jesus learning anymore. He was the "preacher". He'd been doing this for a while and teaching others. He still messed it up. His life ends with him being crucified upside down because he refused to die the way Jesus did. Peter did so much in his ministry.
The relief comes because I'm not a failure because I've messed up. The hope comes because I'm still not okay that I do mess up but I kmow just like God forgave and worked in Peter, he forgives and works in me.
