Ready or Not?

"Simon Peter asked, 'Lord, where are you going?' And Jesus replied, 'You can't go with me now, but you will follow me later.' 'But why can't I come now, Lord?' he asked. 'I'm ready to die for you.' Jesus answered, 'Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter -- before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me." John 13:36-38

So, when was the last time your mouth ran ahead of your reality? I won't go into specific details here, but my last one is a very fresh memory. My over confidence set me up for a humbling conversation with Jesus that I would very much prefer to not have to experience again. The minefields in this world set to derail us from being a faithful follower of Jesus are plentiful and painfully effective. The devil is very good at what he does ... deceive and devour.

Mr. Simon Peter really took one on the chin here in our verses for today. "I'll die for you Jesus!" Open mouth. Insert foot. Peter's maturity was not yet in a place to back up such a bold statement. It would be soon, but he wasn't there yet. I wonder what would have happened if Peter never would have let those words roll off his lips. Perhaps, the brutal experience he was about to go through wouldn't have even happened. We'll never know, but it sure does make you think.

Accurately assessing our spiritual maturity is a very important piece of being a Jesus follower. There is much said in scripture about growing, maturing, and becoming more and more like Jesus. From Peter's example, it would appear one of the measurements of maturity is the ability to keep from claiming that which is not yet yours. Readiness for Kingdom use is determined by Jesus. He calls, equips, and unleashes us at the proper time.

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