A Rooster Might Come In Handy

There was a man named Simon Peter. He was a fisherman, a tough, strong, fearless, man’s man who could take care of himself. Peter was full of pride, and he had a big mouth. He often spoke and then acted before he thought things through. Peter found Jesus and became one of the twelve disciples. He learned much, but made many misstakes along the way. One day he made a profound statement about who Jesus was, “You are the Christ, the Son of God.” That was an extremely high mountain top moment in Peter's life. His life was changed for the better, but his pride stayed with him. He bragged to Jesus before Jesus was arrested and tried by the religious leaders, that others would run away if threatened, but he, mighty-he-man Peter, would hang tough to defend Jesus his Lord. Jesus said, “Peter, before the rooster crows today you will deny me three times.”

Later that night when Judas, the betrayer, that mob of religious leaders, and a large crowd with swords came to arrest Jesus, Peter took out his sword and slashed off the ear of a servant. Peter and his little sword going against so many; he could easily have been killed. Foolish Peter acting without thinking. Jesus was taken away and Peter followed the evil entourage at a distance to the house of the high priest.

He waited outside and sat down with some others to warm himself by the fire. A young servant girl was there, and she noticed Peter by the glow of the fire. “You were with him!” Peter assured her that he did not know that man. It wasn’t long before someone else commented to Peter, “You also are one of them.” Peter snapped back, “Man, I am not!” That was twice Peter had denied Jesus, but apparently his acts of betrayal hadn’t sunk in just yet. After an hour had passed another person saw Peter and remarked, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” The third time Peter denied Jesus, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” Just then the rooster crowed. At that moment Peter looked up and his eyes immediately locked in with the eyes of Jesus. He remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows today you will deny me three times.”

Peter went outside and wept bitterly. He had been a prideful man, a strong man, a tough man, a Manucho man in every sense of the word, but after the rooster crowed Peter became a hopelessly broken man. After the resurrection Peter talked to Jesus. In that conversation Peter realized that Jesus still loved him, had forgiven him and had a very important job for him to do. And what a job Peter did as the Holy Spirit empowered him and guided him. But first Peter had to be broken. I don’t know, but I imagine Peter thought about that night of his three time denial whenever he heard a rooster crow. Like Peter there are times when we betray our Lord. We fail him by not allowing him to be the center of our lives. If we are truly his followers, and we don’t acknowledge him everyday as our Lord then we are guilty of betrayal. Maybe all of us need a rooster for those times we fail to stand up for Jesus!.