"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?'" — John 21:15
One of the painful realities of church life is that sometimes the deepest wounds come from fellow believers.
Perhaps someone judged you unfairly. Perhaps a leader disappointed you. Perhaps a friend you trusted failed you. Perhaps you expected the church to reflect Christ perfectly, only to discover that Christians can sometimes hurt one another.
If that has been your experience, I am sorry. But before you walk away from Christ because of His people, consider Peter.
Peter was one of Jesus' closest disciples. He was passionate, courageous, and deeply devoted to Christ. Yet Peter was also impulsive, fearful, and at times a source of pain to others.
He denied Jesus three times at the very moment he had pledged his unwavering loyalty. Later, even after becoming a leader in the early church, Peter struggled with hypocrisy and fear of people's opinions. His actions became so serious that even the Apostle Paul confronted him publicly (Galatians 2:11–14).
Peter failed Christ. Peter failed others. And Peter himself was often surrounded by imperfect believers.
Yet the remarkable thing is that Jesus did not abandon Peter. Nor did Peter abandon Jesus. After Peter's failure, Jesus met him on the shore of Galilee. He did not begin with condemnation. He began with restoration. Three times Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" and then entrusted him again with the work of caring for God's people.
The lesson is not that failure is acceptable. The lesson is that Christ is greater than our failures.
The church has always been filled with people like Peter—believers who sincerely love Jesus and yet still stumble, struggle, and sometimes hurt others. This does not excuse the hurt. Wrong should be acknowledged and addressed. Repentance and reconciliation matter.
But our faith was never meant to rest on Peter. Or Paul. Or a pastor. Or a church member. Our faith rests on Christ.
If you have been hurt by Christians, remember that Jesus is not the one who wounded you. In fact, He is the One who understands your pain. He knows what it feels like to be betrayed by a friend, abandoned by followers, and misunderstood by those closest to Him.
Do not let Peter's failures cause you to miss Jesus. And do not let the failures of today's church cause you to lose sight of the Savior who never changes.
The church is still a gathering of redeemed sinners learning to follow Christ. Some will fail badly. Some will disappoint us deeply. Yet Jesus remains faithful.
Keep your eyes on Him.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that the failures of others sometimes discourage me. When I am wounded by fellow believers, help me remember that You are not like our failures. Give me wisdom to address wrongs honestly, grace to forgive where forgiveness is needed, and strength to continue following You. Keep my eyes fixed on You, the faithful Shepherd who never abandons His people. Amen.