It is foolish to characterize someone from one moment in time …

When we think well of someone, we can often rattle off a list of reasons why … several moments we think characterize them in a positive manner.

But when we really don’t want to think well of someone, it’s not uncommon for us to pick a single moment in time when that person was at their worst, and forever characterize them from that moment.

That’s a foolish way to treat anyone.

Let’s use an example from scripture, two different moments in time regarding the life of the Apostle Peter, both recorded in the same chapter of the Bible, Matthew 16.

A SHINING MOMENT …
If a contemporary of Peter wanted to characterize him in a positive light, he could point to this particularly shining moment in the life of the disciple …

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ ‘Well,’ they replied, ‘some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.’ Then he asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means “rock”), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven,” Matthew 16:13-17.

What a great disciple! He knew who Jesus was, and he proclaimed it boldly!

PETER, THE STUMBLING BLOCK …
But then, there’s the story in the same chapter of Peter being a stumbling block to none other than Jesus himself!

“From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. ‘Heaven forbid, Lord,’ he said. ‘This will never happen to you!’ Jesus turned to Peter and said, ‘Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s,'” Matthew 16:21-23.

Which is the “real” Peter?

They both are.

There were many times that Peter made mistakes, erred, and even sinned quite grievously (like denying Jesus three times the night He was betrayed, see Mt. 26:69-75). And there were many times when Peter “got it right.” In fact, he would go on to be that “rock” in the church Jesus said He would be. Over his lifetime, the Holy Spirit continued to transform Peter to become more and more like Jesus, and he would ultimately die for his faith.

So which moment accurately characterizes Peter?

Not just one.

With Peter — or any human being — you cannot accurately rightly and fully characterize a person from one moment in time, you must look at the content of the person’s life. Because no one is perfect, everyone will leave a trail of sin, but those who have been redeemed will also leave a new wake of increasing righteousness and holiness as God changes them from the inside out over a lifetime.

If someone were to look at the context of your life, how could they accurately characterize you?

Scotty