Quote from Forum Archives on May 4, 2006, 11:55 am

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional

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05.04.06

Overreacting

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's
servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. So Jesus
said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup
which My Father has given Me?" - John 18:10-11.

And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called
Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss
Him. But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a
kiss?" When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him,
"Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" And one of them struck the servant
of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said,
"Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him. - Luke 22:47-51.

A 19-year-old woman in Jacksonville, Florida did try to do the right thing
but no one listened. There was a snake on her porch and since she was living
in an apartment complex she contacted the apartment manager for help. The
manager told her that snake removal was not in their job description or at
least was not the responsibility of the management. Shatavia Kearney forced
with doing something about the snake herself poured a flammable liquid on
the snake and sit it on fire. However, the vinyl siding on the porch caught
on fire causing a thousand dollars in damage. Thankfully, the fire was put
out and no one was injured. But the snake did manage to escape.

The apostle Peter in the years following the arrest, crucifixion, and
resurrection of Jesus was probably asked on occasion, about why he attacked
the High Priest's servant. Peter may have rationalized what he did by saying
that the Lord had insisted that they should have swords (Luke 22:36-38) and
since they had been told to have swords should they have not used them? Then
Peter may have said that you know I just cut off his ear and the Lord put it
back on - so what's the big deal? I think that Peter's intention was not to
cut off the servant's ear but to cut off his head. Peter fully intended to
do that; however, using a heavy large sword takes practice. Peter was a
fisherman and had never received much instruction in swordsmanship.

Dictionary.com defines overreacting as, "To react with unnecessary or
inappropriate force, emotional display, or violence." In the case of the
snake, Shatavia, did use "inappropriate force" and most likely it was with
an "emotional display." I understand completely because snakes make me very
uncomfortable too. We can understand Peter's reaction as well although as it
turned out it was unnecessary, inappropriate, and an emotional display. It
almost cost Peter his life, and if the Lord had not healed the servant's
ear, it would have. The reaction of Shatavia also was very dangerous and
could have resulted in her losing her life or even harming many more people.

The apostle Peter who had once drawn the sword to kill the servant of the
High Priest with the benefit of many years of hindsight writes, "But also
for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to
virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance,
to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly
kindness love (2 Peter 1:5-7). Therefore, laying aside all malice, all
deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the
pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted
that the Lord is gracious (1 Peter 2:1). And who is he who will harm you if
you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for
righteousness' sake, you are blessed (1 Peter 3:13-14). For it is better, if
it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil (1 Peter
3:17)."

For the apostle Peter overreaction has become self-control. Let us learn
from these great words of wisdom that Peter shares. Let us too grow in the
Lord and overcome the temptation to overreact.

Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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