Ani Weinman

Dear Friends,

How does Peter go from a guy who ran away when Jesus was arrested, to a guy who stands before the Jewish religious leaders and speaks truth to power? He stands and confronts them saying, “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’” What happened inside Peter that allowed for that surprising conversion?

When Peter was at his worst, betraying his loyalty to a man he had spent the last several years with, one he had confessed as the messiah, one that he thought he was ready to die for, right up until he wasn’t. This terrible time in Peter’s life is when Jesus shows up with an extraordinary act of love and restoration and He tells Peter to build the church and continue the mission. Jesus chooses to work in, through, and with him to put the broken world back together. Just when Peter thought he deserved nothing, Jesus asks him to be a part of building the church. I suspect that when Peter had no confidence left, Jesus put all His confidence in Peter.

Jesus walked with Peter and instilled in him a with-ness, not just human bodies walking alongside each other, but a filling up from the inside. And through the Holy Spirit we have access to that same unity with Jesus that allows us also to be who God says that we are, to be who we were created to be, to be the new humanity that Jesus created at the foundation of the world.

I think Peter was always this confident guy with no filter who wasn't afraid to do hard things. That's who God made him to be, but Peter relied on his own strength for this. It turns out that Peter wasn't as strong and great and powerful as he thought he was. It turns out that the revolution he was expecting wasn't going to happen through strength and power the way he thought it would. It turns out that revolution was coming through a revelation of love and suffering and service.

I think that every day Peter spent with Jesus, from the first miraculous catch to the end of his life, was a complete and total surprise. But I wonder if the biggest surprise of all was the love and restoration he felt walking on the beach with Jesus after that second miraculous catch in John 21. In this conversation the surprising gift of forgiveness broke Peter open to finally live, not from his own strength, but to live out of who God says that he is.

Jesus didn't change who Peter was. Jesus helped Peter live as he was created to be.

When we see the whole story of God’s mission written throughout the bible, I believe the lesson to take away is this: Don't try to change or modify who you are. Simply live out of who God says that you are.

–Ani