Today's Devotional

 

October 29, 2007

                                                                                  

Subject:   We Protest Loudly And Apologize Quietly  

Matthew 26:75 - "And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly."

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Before there was an investigation the sentence was pronounced quite vocally by a congressman.  He accused the Marines of terrible atrocities in Haditha, Iraq which included the murder of innocent men, women and children.  In his words it was retribution for a fellow Marine that they had lost days earlier.  Most people were simply amazed that he was making such pronouncements, not only before the investigation was done, but before it had even began.  The end of the story is that the Marines were cleared of all charges and yesterday a cameraman and reporter were chasing this congressman to see what his response was to their acquittal.  He escaped without acknowledging the reporter's questions.

This is how we are at times.  We protest loudly the things that we hate or have a problem with and then when an apology is necessary, we whisper it, like the days when your mom and dad forced you to apologize to a sibling.

This is also how Peter was.  Days earlier he had told Jesus how he would never be offended because of Christ and then there was his infamous denial shortly thereafter.

Today it's easy for us to complain and protest, but we should see to it that we are as vocal when it comes to apologizing or forgiving others.  That shows that we are no longer children, being forced by father or mother to say I'm sorry, but full-grown men and women of God. 

Carlen