Even though all of us sin and fall short of God’s standard, God loves us and places a great value on us. In His eyes, we are all people of worth.
The Bible illustrates this many times. One example would be the story of Peter. Read the story below from John 13 to 21, and imagine you are Peter. Relive the story, and put yourself in Peter’s shoes.
Foot washing and Passover was going well, until Jesus said one of us twelve disciples would betray Him.
Judas left quickly after Jesus gave him a morsel. Was Jesus talking about Judas?
After Judas left, Jesus started sharing some more information about His kingdom. I did not understand what He was talking about, but one statement stood out to me.
“Where I am going, you cannot come.”
Excited beyond normal, I burst out with, “Lord, Where are you going? I will lay my life down for you.”
Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? A rooster will not crow until you deny me three times.”
My exuberance had left me as shock filled my body. Jesus had effectively quieted me without any signs of anger.
Later that day, Jesus was arrested in the garden as the disciples fled. John and I returned to follow our Lord at a distance.
While standing by a fire, I denied knowing Jesus, three separate times. The rooster crowed and I wept upon remembering that Jesus predicted my denial.
After Jesus was crucified, I and five other disciples decided to go fishing on the Sea of Tiberius. We had been fishing all night and caught nothing. We cast our net on the right hand side of the boat, as a man on the beach suggested. You should have seen the large haul of fish.
John said to me, “ It is the Lord.”
I swam to shore as the other disciples followed in the boat. It was Jesus!
We had breakfast by the fire. After breakfast finished, Jesus began to question me.
“Simon, Son of John, do you love me more than these? Tend My lambs.”
“Simon, Son of John, do you love me? Shepherd my sheep.”
“Simon, Son of John, do you love me? Tend My sheep.”
I had answered each question with a “Yes, you know I do!” It grieved me that He asked three times.
This scripture is perplexing, until you follow the denial three times, and the three questions of Peter’s love for Jesus.
After the denial, Jesus needed to bring Peter back into the fold. What a unique way to reinstate and honor Peter, a man of worth.
Jesus always brought out the best in people, looking past their sins, but never denying the truth.
Jesus showed us that every human being has extreme value and worth, despite our sins, and He is willing to forgive us.
Talk about this story with your children, and discuss how God loves and values all of us, and is willing to forgive us.
