Last Fall, we were having extremely dry conditions in the Southeast U.S. where I live. Over a period of several weeks, the resulting forest fires in many of our mountain areas left a smell of smoke in our valleys and towns. Even the pilot on a commercial flight I was on warned that we might smell a “campfire” smell as we flew over some of these areas.
Thinking back to that time last Fall reminds me of an amazing object lesson I heard John Maxwell share one time. In the Apostle John’s gospel account, he talked of the resurrected Jesus’ appearance to the disciples on the shore near where they had fished all night. Let’s join them:
“When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”” John 21:9-10 ESV
Do you see it? Rather, do you smell it? That distinct smell of a charcoal fire? No doubt the smell stoked a hunger in the bellies of the disciples there. I mean, they had fished all night! Then they had dealt with that whole “nets filled until they would break” thing! Man, now I need a snack, too!
But, not Peter. Peter was hungry, but not for food. Peter almost certainly had something else on his mind. As I heard Maxwell share in his version of this illustration, the sense of smell is the most powerful sense for stimulating our memory. If we put ourselves in Peter’s place, I wonder what memory likely would emerge at this moment. So much had happened in the previous few days! Perhaps in his normally intense desire for action, Peter once again thought, “He’s alive and with us! NOW! Now is when we’ll go to war and He will conquer!”
But, that charcoal… fire…
Remember? Let’s look back a few short days…
“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.” Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.” John 18:17-18 ESV
Whoa! It seems likely that Peter, even as he “threw himself into the water” to race to Jesus on the shore, would almost certainly have been met head-on by the memory of his BETRAYAL of Christ! Perhaps John only recorded Jesus’ directions about the fish to avoid offending Peter in his moment of extreme brokenness before Jesus. Perhaps John felt it best to let Jesus’ punishment for Peter at this moment be a private time between their little group.
Wait, what? Jesus didn’t punish Peter? Oh, come on, didn’t Jesus set those fish on a charcoal fire to MAKE Peter face his mistake? Maybe even re-live it?
Well, just a few verses later, John says that Jesus simply asked Peter if he loved Him to which Peter replied, “Yes, Lord.” And then, this:
“He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”” John 21:17-19 ESV
Not only did Jesus NOT punish Peter, He gave him an assignment! He put Peter back in the game! He moved him into his destiny as the rock upon whom the church would be built! We now know that it was Peter that drew the assignment to share Jesus with the Gentiles! As a man who grew up Baptist and found Jesus in my teens, I am grateful Jesus didn’t give up on Peter, and that He hasn’t given up on me!
Hey, friend… He hasn’t given up on you either! You may have done some petty things wrong, or you may have done some horrible things wrong. You may have avoided and run from God for years. Or, like me, you may have spent a significant portion of your life putting on a great show of loving the Lord while living like the devil when no one is watching. It matters not!
The grace and forgiveness Jesus imparted unto Peter is the very same Grace He has for you and me. Won’t you search your heart, and His Word, for where His love comes smack up against your guilt? Won’t you push past the shame and hurt carried in the smell of your charcoal fire, and let the sweet aroma of His endless Love, Mercy, and Grace fill your heart and mind today! Don’t take my word for it! Ask Him if it’s real, and watch how He will come and fill your life! Yes, you may just get your assignment, too! But, how is the alternative working out for you?
I love you, friend!
Robby