Have you ever been scolded by God, Jesus? Today in Matthew 16 and starting with verse 15 Jesus asks the disciples who they say he is? Immediately Peter says that Christ is the Son of the living God. Immediately Christ responds to Peter that he is rock and on this rock I will build my church. All of this seems wonderful and Peter must have felt very fulfilled at that moment. Yet in the same chapter Jesus is telling his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things as well as be killed and raised from the dead. In all of this Peter takes Jesus aside to reprove him saying, “God forbid Lord! This must never happen to You!” Then Jesus turns to Peter and says, “Get behind me Satan! You are in my way for you are minding what partakes not of the nature and quality of God, but of men.”

All of this makes me look at myself wondering how many times I’ve been complimented for doing something “right” and then thinking I have it all together. It doesn’t take long for me to blunder and realize a compliment isn’t an assurance of wisdom from this day forward. My pride and wishes will always need to be set aside when they conflict with Christ’s leadership and direction. My current direction from Christ–to be surrendered and to obey Him each and every day–is great. I truly need to also be aware that when I question or doubt His nudge I am questioning once again who will be in charge of my decisions–my pride or Christ? I want to choose Christ each and every day.