Galatians 2:11-12 – When Peter came to Antioch, I [Paul] opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. (NIV)

Our little foster son loved to play his handmade drum, and he did so quite well. So well, in fact, that he began to join me on the platform as I played my omnichord and my daughter led the singing during Sunday worship services. Distractions, however, are everywhere when you're only seven. And these distractions invariably led to the problem of my side-kick drummer losing the beat. When this occurred, I would quickly create another distraction for him: the thumping of my foot against the floor in time with the music. This little trick soon had him back drumming in perfect time.

In today's Scripture, Peter also lost the beat, the beat of Christian love, due to his fear of what his peers might think.

Peer pressure can be a powerful force of distraction in our lives, too — one which can quickly cause us, like Peter, to lose the beat of God's loving song within us. Fear replaces peace; our thoughts and actions lose timing with His truth; and all too often, those with whom we may be close join us in our hypocrisy.

God loves us so much, however, that when this happens, He is quick to create a distraction of His own. His holy distractions may appear in the form of His Word, prayer, or creation. Other times, we may encounter the beat of truth through a novel, a movie, a photograph — or, like Peter, through another Christian. Whatever the case, knowing that He is always here beside us, working on our behalf amidst the distraction of peer pressure which leads to hypocrisy, encourages us to prayerfully keep our heart and ears open to the beat of His healing truth and love.

Prayer: Father God, keep us in time with the beat of Your truth today, that the song of Christ's love within us might beat sweetly and clearly amidst all that we do and say. In the wonderful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
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