And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed.
Mark 14:66–68, ESV
It is easy to be bold when we know that the consequences are not great, but what can we truly say we would do when it could truly cost us in our witness? As we see the world changing, we are confronted with a society and societal norms that cause us to ponder the cost. What will we risk for our witness? What will we risk for the faith? As followers of Christ, it is important to know the lines and limitations of our faith. Knowing what not only is honoring to God but also knowing what actions we could be asked to take that would dishonor God. Everything we do has a cost. Thankfully, there is nothing that could truly cost us our salvation except for the denial of our Lord. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Yet, there are things that chip away at our witness and chip away at our person. A cock crowing in the distance that signals the failure in our faith walk, the falling of our character. It is easy to judge the failure of Peter in this time when he denied Jesus, but he was faced with a situation in which he knew the risk and the possible cost of his life. I feel for Peter, poor Peter. There are many areas that we could be confronted with in our lives, and it is good for us to ponder these things and ask, “Where is the cock crowing in our life?”
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.