Promises

Promises

“Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: 'Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.' And he broke down and wept.'” Mark 14:72

Has someone ever made a promise to you and then failed to follow up? Maybe the someone said they would mow your lawn on Tuesday, and by Wednesday, not only was your lawn still a scraggly mess, you hadn't heard from the person at all. Or you make plans with your best friend to go out of town for the day, and they call you minutes before you've scheduled to leave saying, they have "made other plans."

I know as a pastor I dealt with this many times. People would jump into a ministry; youth, driving the bus, leading worship, and, without more than a week's warning, would decide they weren't going to do it anymore. Here's the thing; most people think their reasons for "quitting" are valid. They found something they like to do better. They don't like the way the ministry is run. They need more family time. It was more of a commitment than they expected.

Granted, some gracefully exit by giving plenty of notice so other arrangements can be made. Our friend who cancelled the day trip at the last moment would have gained more respect had she discussed the matter a couple of days earlier.

We have all been on the receiving end of broken promises. And, if we are honest, we have not always dealt with our own commitments well. We dive in, discover the situation wasn't all we expected, and we find reasons to back out of it.

For me, the most difficult broken promises are the ones that are volunteered. "I'm with you 100%", says one person, when you haven't asked them for their support. Yet, when they know you are in a desperate situation, you don't hear from them. "We will have date night every week." Then the husband or wife forgets the promise, finds reasons to let it go a week or two, or it simply fizzles into emptiness because of the inertia of their everyday lives. "Hey, we'll be glad to run that ministry. Leave it to us. You don't need to worry about a thing." Then suddenly one week they are telling the church they found somewhere else to fellowship, taking the help they promised out the door with them.

Not all broken promises are quite so stark. Sometimes people are "promisers" by nature. They truly do want to help, but haven't thought through the time and energy required. Other times we are careless. We throw out phrases of support like "I've got your back", and forget it is an actual verbal contract with someone.

Peter was a bit like that. As Jesus neared His crucifixion, He told the disciples that they would all "fall away", quoting the prophet Zechariah: "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered."

Peter, the "gotta do something" guy, popped right up and said, "Even if they all fall away, I will not!" Jesus, sadly I think, say that this very night, Peter will deny Him three times. Peter doubles down. "Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you!" All the other disciples chimed in.

I think Peter meant it. First of all, I don't think any of the disciples had any notion that Jesus was going to die within the next 36 hours, let alone be cruelly crucified by the Romans after a mock trial by the Jewish religious leaders.

But hours later, after Jesus has been taken away by soldiers, Peter sits outside the proceedings hanging around the courtyard. In the space of just a few hours he is asked three times if he was one of those who were with "that Nazarene, Jesus." And three times he denies it, "I don't even know what you're talking about."

After hearing the rooster crow the second time, as Jesus had predicted, Peter broke down and wept. His broken promise pierced his heart.

Peter actually had gone farther than the other disciples. Besides John, he's the only one that even follows Jesus to the trial. But then it gets scary. He is a man separated from Jesus, the person who had given him a new identity, a new chance in life, a new outlook on God and the world. And that man was in the hands of people trying to execute him.

Suddenly, Jesus no longer inspired him. Maybe Peter was even a bit disappointed by Jesus. His hopes were crumbling before his eyes. If they were going to do such things to Jesus, the one who healed the sick, fed thousands with a meager supply and stilled the storm, what would they do to his followers?  Peter had good reason to be frightened.

He wept bitterly. He didn't live up to his own proclamation about himself. "I'll never..." And within hours he was doing the very thing he swore he would never do. But Peter's humanity prevents him from excusing himself. His bitter weeping speaks of both his love for Jesus and a new awareness of how easy it is to make rash promises that we break without thinking.

I'm not suggesting you or I need to weep bitterly over every broken promise. But I do believe we need to take them seriously. Think this way; "What hurt may have come to someone else's heart because I did not do what I said?" And then do something about it if you can.

Remember, Jesus is not here to upbraid and scold you. So, there is no reason to hide your weakness, and we never grow if we try to excuse them. When the women come to the tomb after Jesus has risen, the angel has a special message for them: "But go, tell his disciples, even Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there."

So, even if you have broken a promise to Jesus, He still wants you on His team. Not only that, you still have a huge role to play. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached to the very people he was afraid of 40 days earlier, and over 3,000 people were added to the church.

Be careful with your promises. When you break one, make it right. And remember, nothing can disqualify you from the love of Christ.