The realization hit me when I read Mark 14:54, “Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance…” Now, I got it, Jesus had just been arrested and it’s a really scary time. I mean, I’m pretty sure Peter understood his life could be on the line and he was pretty brave just for following Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard but, he still followed at a distance. He was cautious and hesitant. He wasn’t completely committed to following Jesus even if it meant death. Peter’s distance resulted in denying that he even knew Jesus. Now hear me on this, the ultimate result of Peter’s distance is found in Mark 14:72 where we find Peter broken and weeping. Peter thought he was preserving himself but in fact had destroyed himself inside. You see, the pain Peter had inflicted on himself was the same pain Judas inflicted on himself.

Yes, the situation is a bit different between Judas and Peter. Judas sold Jesus to the Pharisees so they could kill him. However, at the core of the issue, both Judas and Peter betrayed Jesus and both Judas and Peter were extremely remorseful of their actions. Both men followed at a distance and both men fell greatly. Please understand, this pain was self inflicted through actions they thought were self preserving. They thought following at a distance was safer than following the “radical” Jesus. They were wrong. Let me give you an example I witnessed just this morning with my son.

Last night we caught a baby snake outside our house. The snake is very small and barely even has teeth. My youngest son has become very interested in snakes and wanted to keep him as a pet, so my wife and I agreed. Well, this morning we opened the cage so my 5 year old son could attempt to get the baby snake out all by himself for the first time. His hand went in very confidently and with great excitement until… a slight movement by the baby snake. The snake barely moved but all confidence ran out of my little boy’s body while his hand and the baby snake had a stand-off. He hesitated because he didn’t want to get bit. However, due to the hesitation the snake became more defensive of the intrusive hand and eventually bit. He quickly pulled his hand back and was clearly freaked out by the incident though the bite didn’t even draw blood. I immediately stuck my hand in and grabbed the snake with no issues. The snake didn’t even make a sound; he just simply curled around my finger and went for a ride like a good little boy. The point is, my son’s hesitation gave rise to the altercation just like our following Jesus from a distance gives rise to our downfall.

Joseph of Arimathea gives us a great example of taking a risk to follow Jesus. In Mark 15:43 the New Living Translation of the Bible says, “Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the kingdom of God to come.) Jesus was still hanging on the cross so obviously being a follower is not yet a popular thing. Clearly Joseph is potentially risking his life by requesting Jesus’ body from Pilate but he’s also risking his career. Joseph was a respected member of the high council, a council which was certainly filled with people who just crucified Jesus. Joseph DID NOT follow from a distance but risked his life and his career to follow His Savior.

My friends, let me ask you this: Are you confidently following close to your Savior or are you cautiously following from a distance? If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ the opportunity will arise every day to associate yourself with Jesus. Do you? Do people even know you’re a Christian? Now I’m not implying you need to be an abrasive, in your face, Bible thumping zealot only concerned with your own goal of proselytizing the world. No, I’m implying you need to be a follower of Jesus who is so in love with your Savior that you identify with Him every chance you get and you lovingly share Him with everyone you can. I’m also implying that you, like Joseph of Arimathea, risk everything to follow your Savior. Joseph gave his time, money, devotion, career, and potentially his life for Jesus. Are you willing to do that? Remember, if you go through life cautiously following Jesus from a distance it’s only a matter of time before the baby snake bites you. Confidently stick your spiritual hand in the cage and follow Jesus as closely as you can. AMEN!

Well my friends, the Iraqis have taught me another important lesson. Again, this lesson is a bit humerous but has a legitamate lesson. First, let me catch you up on my current job in Iraq . I’m an intelligence officer working inside an Iraqi Intelligence fusion office with the mission of taking American intelligence and matching it up with the Iraqi intelligence in order to provide the most accurate picture. OF course, Iraqi intelligence officers are not the most trusting people in the world, so building a relationship built on trust is vital. Therefore, my goal is to create a bundle of new best friends. This is the fun part.

Well, I’ve heard stories about the Iraqi culture being very intimate once initial formalities are past and friendship is established. I had NO idea how intimate that intimacy runs. You see, apparently I’m doing a pretty good job of building friendships and trust because my new counterparts see no problem hugging, giving kisses on the cheek, and holding hands as they walk. The first time I was walking along and one of my co-workers, an Iraqi man about 45 years old, reached over and held my hand I flinched and shook my hand like I had just been stung by a bee. He was just as startled as I was because holding hands is quite normal for him. So there we stood, two grown men facing each other with a million thoughts screaming through our heads. (well, I did any way) I stood there, appauled that this man thought I was gay, when it hit me. He doesn’t think I’m gay, he thinks I’m trust worthy. Then Paul’s words popped into my head, “I’ve become all things to all men”.

Though I was not witnessing to this man, I was loving him as Christ would love him in order to work together. The Lord calls us to step out of our comfort zones and meet people where they’re at. The Lord calls us to get up out of the pews and meet the lost in order to bring them closer to Him. Christians, we need fellowship but we don’t need holy fraternities. Let down your walls, risk being hurt, and step out into the unknown in order to win just one for Him. This isn’t easy, I know. But neither was holding that grown Iraqi man’s hand. However, once I got over the weird goosebumps and creepy feeling, my relationship with the Iraqis has blosomed into a much deeper trust than experienced before; a trust that would never be reached from inside the American comfort zone.

My friends, I challenge you to become all things to all men. Let down your guard, take a risk, and walk off into the sunset holding a middle aged Iraqi man’s hand in order to win but one for Him. AMEN!