Jesus in Social Settings

Peter gets a bad rap. Sadly the early part of his life is often more emphasized than his better years.  Peter got better with age, some people kinda fade after their prime.  Peter had a foot-shaped mouth.  A lot of us cannot attack him too hard for that.  He said dumb things and he said them too quick.  He was that guy in class that always shot his arm up in class to answer the question, even though the question had not completely been asked yet.  By the time the question is complete, it is different that the hand shooter thought and he is left babbling in his foregone conclusions.  Oh, what painful memories!  The Peter Predicament is why I enter big rooms full of people quietly unless I know them.
Peter was the first to speak in defense of Christ, first to speak of his allegiance, and the second to let Him down.  The commitment he made in private, he did not keep in public.  John 18:17 describes it: The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."  Instead of going in with John to see the high priest and Jesus, Peter claimed no allegiance and stood out by the fire and warmed himself with some of the officers that just arrested Jesus.  How interesting!  Don't you wonder where Malchus (v.10) was?  Was he a handwarming courtyard dweller or a court dweller with the high priest?  I bet Peter didn't make eye contact with him by the fire or ask him, "Hey, hows the ear?".   As my five year old says- "Awk-wwwward!!!", although she doesn't have a clue what it means.   Isn't it fascinating how Peter wanted to stand out for Christ in private, but blended right in with the enemy in public?  Oh, if the commitments we made on Sunday were only kept on Saturday!
Learn from Peter without going through the confrontation with the Lord, be who you are for Jesus at all times, not just when it is convenient.  Jesus did well in social settings.  He still does if we just don't leave Him inside, when we warm ourselves by the fire with his foes outside.  As the old hymn says- Stand up, stand up for Jesus, yea soldier of the Lord!  Do it today!