The Discovery of the Heart

At first, Peter was a Galilean fisherman. He probably smelled terrible, had matted hair and language that was anything but chivalrous. But when Jesus gathered a collection of men upon whom to build his church, he chose Peter. He saw something in this rough around the edges man that one would likely miss on first glance. He saw passion.

Peter was one of the most extremely blessed people in all of history. He walked, talked, ate, lived with the God of the universe during his ministry on earth. Every day, Peter was exposed to radical conversation and intense opportunities for discipleship. He witnessed miracles and later in his life, through the power of Christ in him, worked his own miracles. He learned firsthand what a true life of faith looks like.

Peter was also one of the most impossible disciples. He was always speaking without thinking and coming up with these brilliant but kind of stupid ideas. When Christ saw his passion, he knew that this was the kind of man he needed to continue his legacy in a time when the gospel would be hated and feared and illegal. In Peter, he saw fearlessness and the potential to love so fiercely that he would lay down his life for the object of his devotion. Jesus saw that the desire of Peter’s heart would become first priority in his life. He chose Peter to become one of the men to keep the truth alive in his absence because of his passion.

Likely the son and grandson of a fisherman, Peter probably thought his entire life would be devoted to the fishing industry. When he imagined his death, he probably envisioned old age on a hard bed. Or perhaps beaten to death by monstrous waves on the sea of Galilee. Maybe even death at the edge of a Roman sword, Peter the revolutionary. Never the possibility that he would be suspended upside down on one of the most popular instruments of Roman torture, the cross, and all because he preached peace.

But Jesus’ invitation to follow him changed everything. With the touch of Christ, Peter’s heart changed.

Fast forward past the crucifixion, Peter’s denial, and the resurrection to the few precious days the disciples shared with Christ before he ascended into heaven. By this time, they had come to accept that Jesus had not come to overthrow the Roman government, but the principality and power of darkness. Jesus shared with them last bits of wisdom and built their confidence as leaders before he left them to carry on without his physical presence. He encouraged them, but as they stood on that hill, straining for one last glimpse of the man who had permanently changed their worldviews, their stomachs were probably in knots, the task ahead of them more than daunting.

As Jesus disappeared into the clouds, Peter discovered his passion for Christ and his desire to tell everyone he met about him. Peter’s God-given heartbeat very quickly led him into situation after situation where he was disliked and his message loathed. He was persecuted and imprisoned because of the longing of his heart to see the kingdom of Christ expanded on the earth. He had discovered his heart and, like Jesus knew when he asked Peter to follow him, he was not going to allow anything to stop the pursuit of his heart’s desire.