Ponderings About Peter

          Yesterday in Sunday School we discussed the two instances in which Christ called Peter to His ministry:  "And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.  And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him" (Luke 5:10-11).  "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs...He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17).

          There is an important question tied to these two interactions between Simon Peter and Jesus Christ.  Why did Peter need to be asked a second time to follow the Savior?  Did he somehow slip off the path and need to be called back?

         To answer this question, let's take a scriptural detour to the Book of Mormon.  In the allegory of the vineyard, God explains "And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them into the fire, that they shall not cumber the ground of my vineyard, for I have done all. What could I have done more for my vineyard?  But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard: Spare it a little longer.  And the Lord said: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard" (Jacob 5:49-51).  Was it ever God's intention to cut down His vineyard?  No, it wasn't.  God knew all along how things would play out.  He had preserved the root of the mother tree so that it would bring life to the re-grafted branches.  In that sense, the corrupted fruit of the vineyard was never a true setback.  It was a natural progression of things that needed to take place for the harvest to happen at the end of the season.

          How does any of this apply to Peter?  It's natural to think that Peter's return to fishing represented a setback of sorts.  However, the Spirit tells me otherwise.  Peter's misunderstanding of his role following the Savior's death was a setback in the same way that the fall of Adam was an impediment.  Peter's reacceptance of apostolic responsibility was not a return to how he used to be, but rather a step forward, beyond the commitment he made with Jesus the first time.  Peter was not guilty of any great or malignant sin.  In fact, I don't think he was guilty of sin at all.  Rather, he had progressed to a point that required him to be instructed more perfectly.  The lesson Christ taught him at the sea of Tiberius was a natural extension of his progression as an Apostle and disciple.

          Alma 42:17 describes how certain setbacks are required in order to achieve true progress.  "Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment?"  The scripture seems to imply that the ability to repent is so important that it necessitated the creation of the ability to sin, the establishment of a law, and the institution of a punishment.  While individual sins are never necessary, without the ability to sin, which is mankind's ultimate setback, we would not have the ability to progress.  Without an Apostasy, how could there have been a Restoration?  A Resurrection without a Fall?  A Garden Tomb without a Gethsemane and Calvary?  A testimony without doubt?  Similarly, without mistakes and temporary regressions in spiritual prowess, we could not become like God.  Those mistakes that we make in God's service are really not mistakes, but rather building blocks that God is using to construct us.

          It is not mistakes or lack of knowledge that God condemns, it is rebellion.  Although Peter required more training to reach his full potential, his return to fishing was not rebellion against God.  It was a misunderstanding of what was next on his path to follow the Savior.  A heart that is knitted to God's is God's, and nothing will pluck it out of His hand.  God loved us, so He sent His Son, through which we find life eternal.  If we, by the grace of God, are perfect in Christ, we can in nowise deny the power of God to save us.  "Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things."

          Sometimes God chastises us for our sins and rebellion.  However, I also believe that there are also times when God offers words of correction that aren't intended to be a rebuke.  He desires us to serve better because of them, but not to feel like our previous efforts have not been good enough.  He is always pleased with the man of four talents who invests what he has and produces four more.  The fact that He gives him another talent of knowledge and instruction is not to be interpreted as divine displeasure.  Rather, it is a loving call to ascend to new heights.

          May we all follow Peter's example and take full advantage of the grace Jesus offers us by accepting His instructions as an affirmation of His approval, love, and confidence.