Why We Say NEVER

Peter had a long history of telling Jesus “no.” Well, it was actually more than that. It was telling Jesus, “Never!” These are just my (Bill’s) reflections, but try them on to see what fits.

At the core, I think Peter was just scared, so he used ‘never’ to defend himself. I know I do that. Here are three instances to ponder:

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” - Matthew 16:22

Jesus has just been talking about suffering and grief and it did not line up with Peter’s view of who Jesus was or what sort of life Peter wanted. How often do you resist God when you are invited into a pathway that leads through loss?

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” - John 13:8

Jesus was showing great love to his disciples by washing their feet (‘loving them to the end’ is how it’s put in 13:1). Peter seems scared to let that much love in. Do you find yourself deflecting compliments or avoiding intimacy? What might that be.

“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” - Acts 10:14

Now Peter is struggling with Jesus’s radical vision of inclusion. Peter didn’t eat with ‘those people’ - and Jesus is pushing him on it. The ‘never’ here strikes me as a way to protect against loving those whom we don’t know or don’t like. Do you feel that resistance in you?