Thursday; July 20

The other day I came across a quote by President Barak Obama that said, “Don’t let your failures define you—let them teach you.”.   While this admonition has the wisdom to stand on its own, I immediately thought about two men who shared a common experience but are remembered so differently.  Both Judas and Peter made bad choices during the last hours before Jesus’ crucifixion.  Judas acknowledged that He knew Jesus and sold Him out to the Jewish leaders.  Peter denied that He knew Jesus and sold himself out to satan.  Neither men were proud of what they did – in fact, both were ashamed of actions.  This, however, is where their paths diverge.  Judas was so ashamed that he threw the “blood money” at the feet of his cohorts and left to commit suicide.  Peter, on the other hand, made the decision to overcome his failure by becoming a spokesman for Jesus.  Under the cover of darkness he had denied Jesus; but, during the Jewish feast of Pentecost he reappeared in the spotlight when we are taught that Peter, “ … taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: ‘Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.’”.  (Acts 2:14)  From this point on, Peter preached Jesus to them.
Falling isn’t failure until it is final.  Is it time to regain our footing, take a stand and change our fate?  Anything less keeps us on a path toward failure.
Think about it!

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