It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
The last thing Peter wants at this point in the story is for someone to notice him. He is in a strange place, with the door shut behind him. The other disciple who let him in has apparently left Peter in the courtyard by himself. He is alone, but not alone.
He is alone in the sense that he is separated from the other disciples and his Lord. He is not alone in the sense that the people of the world have closed in around him. The courtyard is probably large. The night is old but darkness still rules. It would be easy to avoid being noticed if only he could stay in the shadows.
He has already denied Jesus once. That would not have felt good. Perhaps he brushed it aside as simply a momentary lapse. It really wasn’t that important because, after all, she was just the servant girl. Probably no one else heard him … maybe.
His thoughts are interrupted by the cold. It is ice cold in the dark of the late-night hour. Perhaps the dew has started to settle and the dampness made the cold even more biting. Brrrrrrrrr.
The fire on the other side of the courtyard calls to Peter. Like a moth, he is drawn to the flame. All he wants is a little warmth to fight off the damp chill of the night. But there is danger by the fire. There are people there, and the fire gives off light. What if someone recognizes him?
At the thought of being recognized as a disciple of Jesus, Peter may have balked for a moment. At that moment, he is balanced between the bitterness of the ice-cold night and the warmth of the fire’s flame. The call for warmth wins out and Peter sidles up to the fire, trying to get warm without being noticed. But the trap has been sprung. The fire’s light will catch Peter out. Satan is sifting Peter with fire and with ice. (Luke 22: 31-32)
Food for Thought: Can you relate to Peter’s situation? How would you advise another person to recognize the slippery slope of temptation?
Bonus Question: What advice would you have given Peter?
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Temptation usually is a slippery slope – I can’t think of when it isn’t. Stress and difficult situations can lead to a failure, which make it easier to fail again, which becomes a habit, which becomes an addiction or life pattern. From lying, gossip, worry, or lust they all have a slippery slope.
“Ego Fatigue” is a very interesting process that happens in the prefrontal cortex and directly impacts will and resisting impulses. If you happen to have a few minutes, it is a neat topic. Explains how our cognitive function and will to resist ‘tires’ with continual exposure to temptation without a rest / recharge period.
Thanks! BrentG
I agree with the previous comments. Temptation that is given into as a stimulus response can lead to trials in the brain that become a default way of dealing with stress, anxiety, etc. We need to develop healthy patterns as opposed to the sinful responses that we see modeled in the world around us. When tempted we need to turn to God in total dependence. He will provide the exit (1 Corinthians 10: 12 – 13).
I meant trails or patterns in the brain – not trials.
Thanks for the awesome comments today!