Never Say Never!

By Alessandra Velsor

“Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. ‘You also were with Jesus of Galilee,’ she said. But he denied it before them all. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, ‘This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.’ He denied it again, with an oath: ‘I don’t know the man!’ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, ‘Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.’ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know the man!’ Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: ‘Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.”—Matthew 26:69–75 (NIV)

You’d think I would’ve learned my lesson long ago after swearing I’d never work in the restaurant industry. I was born and raised in this world of misfits and pure pirates hustling nonstop while my dad opened (and closed) restaurant after restaurant in Puerto Rico and South Florida. It’s sacrificial work that takes you away from family during big holidays and makes you work long hours when everyone else seems to be resting. I swore I’d pursue a career in journalism and never follow my family’s path. And just like Peter, I failed miserably at my promise. I worked in a restaurant for over a decade and even married a chef—and now our children talk about how they want to follow our legacy!

Let’s rewind to Matthew 26:31–35 (NIV, emphasis added) when Peter promises he will never deny Jesus. Jesus lets His followers know they’ll abandon Him when the time comes. Peter is the one who speaks out and proclaims, “‘Even if they fall away on account of you, I never will.’ ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’ But Peter declared, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

His first mistake was proudly uttering the word “never.” If you take away one thing from today’s passage it should be this: Never say never!

It physically hurts me when I read this passage because I can imagine the shame Peter must have felt when that rooster crowed. His response was a bitter cry. As soon as he heard the rooster crow, Jesus turned to him with “a look.” In this passage from the Book of Matthew, we don’t read about the look Jesus gave Peter; instead, we’re simply told Peter remembered the words of His teacher. But Luke 22:61 (NIV) records that Jesus looked straight at Peter.

Was it a look of anger? Disappointment? No, it was the look of a father telling his son, “I still love you despite your arrogance and broken promises.” It was a look that communicated He knew all along this moment would happen. It was a look of forgiveness, a look that promised to restore not to condemn, and a look that still saw potential in the man He had chosen to continue His work on this earth.

Peter meant well, but for us who like to say never, we often need a spoonful of our own medicine. Our best lessons are learned when He humbles us and shows us how wrong we are when we’re too confident in our own strength. How wrong we are when we impulsively take action when He tells us to stand still. How wrong we are when we decide to stay idle when He’s calling us to go.

When God called me out of the restaurant, I didn’t want to listen. I met my husband there and watched my family grow in that place. I proudly said to myself, “I’m never leaving.” Ironically, God had to get my attention with the same verse He used to lead me there in the first place. When I visited my new job, there it was on the wall, Matthew 20:28.It stood out as obnoxiously as that rooster crow.

Pause: Have you ever said never? How did that turn out for you?

Practice: Find time this week to spend in solitude. Quiet your soul and listen intently to His warnings. Is there a call or a word you’ve been ignoring? Don’t wait until the rooster crows!

Pray: Father, I’m so thankful for Your mercy. Thank You for being patient with me and giving me many chances to get it right. Thank You for using those roosters in my life to put me back on track and remind me that You are and will always be right! Help me hear Your voice sooner. I desire to follow and serve You all the days of my life. Humble me and help me remain open-handed, flexible, and teachable to whatever You want to show me. If You see something in me that presents a potential problem, let me heed Your warnings without argument. Lord, I surrender to Your will today. Amen.