WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL BY PATRICE TSAGUE

Have you ever felt ashamed of Christ, or of being a Christian?
Has the fear of man ever limited the effectiveness of your witness for Him?
Will you have Christ at the center of your life, or will you join the pagans in denouncing Him?

Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying.
“You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all, saying,
“I do not know what you are saying.”
– Matthew 26:69-70 (NKJV)

Coward

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a coward is “someone who shows disgraceful fear or timidity.” To call an entrepreneur a coward is way below the belt. Entrepreneurs are people of courage, bold and determined, willing to take risks and defy dangers. How could they be cowards?

The Apostle Peter was not always a preacher. His original vocation was as a fisherman, and he and his family operated a fishing business. That is actually how Jesus met Him. On a day when Peter and his partners were struggling for a catch and were about to go home frustrated because they had caught no fish, Jesus asked to borrow their boat so that He could preach to the crowd.

After Jesus had finished His message, He gave Peter and his partners some business tips that changed them forever. That day, they had the greatest catch of fish that they had ever seen. As a result, Peter made the decision that very day to follow Jesus and become one of His disciples.

Although he did not fully understand the nature of Jesus’ mission on Earth, Peter was very excited about Jesus’s promise to never leave or forsake Him. Hoping to ensure the fulfillment of this promise, Peter set about arming himself to try to protect Jesus from those who would attempt to arrest him. He also tried to stop Jesus from going to the Cross. Although his actions and confessions of allegiance to Jesus were bold and forward when he was in His presence, Peter was not there for Jesus when He needed him most.

As Jesus was being taken to face Pilate, the following conversations took place between Peter and some who recognized that he had been with Jesus.

Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” ⁷⁴ Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
– Matthew 26:69-75 (NKJV)

When faced with strong opposition, fear caused Peter’s words and actions to turn from courageous to cowardly. However, Peter is not the only one throughout history who has been cowardly in their journey with Christ. If truth be told, all of us have, at some stage, been guilty of the same cowardice at some stage during our Christian journey.

How do you recognize if you are bold or cowardly in your witness for Jesus?

Do you boldly profess Christ, no matter where you are?
Do you maintain and protect the traditions of the faith, regardless of the personal cost?
Are you afraid of being known as a Christian?
Are you ashamed to be associated with Christians?
Do you join others in defaming the name of Christ or His teachings?
Are you afraid to confront people when they use the name of the Lord in vain,
or when they openly promote ways that are contrary to the teachings of Christ?
Do you see your faith as a private matter that has no place in the public arena?

A US president was asked during a presidential debate, “Who is your role model?”

Without giving it a second thought, he openly proclaimed “Jesus Christ”. He was ridiculed by the media and many intellectuals for being simple, religious, and a bigot. Some said he was simply pitching to evangelical Christians. He was also warned by his advisors not to mention it again. I for one appreciate his courage and boldness. I appreciated the fact that he was not afraid to be openly associated with my Savior. In that moment, he demonstrated courage. He was not a coward.

What about you? Will you boldly proclaim Him to all who will listen?

My prayer for you is that God will give you the grace, strength, and boldness to stand as a witness for Him in your family, community, and business.

Coward

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