Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Look Before You Leap!

According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he saw an old man, weary from age and journey, coming toward him. Abraham rushed out, greeted him, and then invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man's feet and gave him food and drink.

The old man immediately began eating without saying any prayer or blessing. So Abraham asked him, "Don't you worship God?"

The old traveler replied, "I worship fire only and reverence no other god."

When he heard this, Abraham became incensed, grabbed the old man by the shoulders, and threw him out his his tent into the cold night air.

When the old man had departed, God called to his friend Abraham and asked where the stranger was. Abraham replied, "I forced him out because he did not worship you."

God answered, "I have suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?"   -Thomas Lindberg

When we think of the Lord’s twelve disciples, Peter is usually the one who first comes to mind. In Matthew 10:1-4 we have the names of the 12 apostles or disciples. Which name comes first in this list?

When we read the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) Peter seems to stand out more than any of the other disciples. When something needed to be said, Peter was usually the one to speak up. When something did not need to be said, Peter was usually the first to speak up. He was not only the first to speak up, he was also the first to act up. As we shall see Peter was always quick to jump into action.

Peter was always quick to jump into things. Of course, the wise thing to do is to look before you jump! Before jumping into a swimming pool it's good to look first and see if the pool is filled with water. Peter had a tendency to jump first and look later.

Before jumping off an airplane, it's wise to first check and see if you have a parachute and if it is in good condition. Peter, if he had lived in the age of flight, might have jumped first and then checked to see if he had a parachute halfway down!

Peter was also quick to say things. Often he would speak first and think later. Sometimes Peter said the right thing but sometimes he said the wrong thing. The Bible tells us that we are to be "swift (quick) to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (James 1:19). This implies that we are to slow down and take time to think before we speak and think before we act. When it comes to speaking and acting, was Peter quick or slow?

Have you ever acted fast without thinking? Did such quick acting ever get you into trouble? Did you ever speak hastily and then later wished that you had never said what you did? Did quick words ever get you into trouble? Do you know of others who have gotten into trouble because they spoke or acted too quickly without thinking about what they were doing?

Are there times when we need to act quickly? If a little child walks onto a busy street, should you spend five. minutes thinking about what you should do? If your teacher in school asks you to run an errand, should you say, "Give me about ten minutes to think about whether I should do that or not"? No, we should be quick to obey and we should obey right away!

We should be quick to help those in need and those in danger. If someone asks you if you are a Christian, it should not take you a week to come up with an answer! We should be quick to confess the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and Lord (Romans 10:9-10). Can you think of other times when it is right to be quick in acting or quick in speaking?

An impulsive person is often quick in the wrong way. He jumps too soon. He needs to learn to look before he leaps. He needs to learn to slow down in a good way and not just do something when he suddenly feels like it. Peter needed to learn this, and so do we.

Let’s learn from Peter! Peter learned some valuable lessons from his own mistakes. The Lord has recorded many of these things in His Word, the Bible, so that we can learn these lessons, too.

Scripture: James 5:7-8; Galatians 5:22;  Colossians 1:11; 2 Timothy 3:10; Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 27:14; Exodus 34:6

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi