Get Behind Me!
One of the most dangerous sentences in modern life might be:
"I just feel that..."
Because increasingly, what we feel has become what is true.
What I want becomes what I deserve.
What I desire becomes who I am.
What makes me uncomfortable must be wrong.
And anyone who challenges me must be judging me.
We live in a world where the individual is increasingly becoming the ultimate authority.
I decide what is true for me.
I decide what is right for me.
I decide who I am.
I decide what makes me happy.
And God? Well God is welcome too. As long as he agrees.
That is what makes this week's Gospel so uncomfortable.
Peter hasn't rejected Jesus. He believes in him. Only moments before, he has recognised Jesus as the Christ. Then Jesus tells his disciples that he must suffer, be rejected and die.
Peter immediately steps in.
"No, Lord. There must be another way."
And Jesus responds:
"Get behind me, Satan!"
Strong words. But Peter's temptation is a familiar one. He is trying to make the easier path look like the right path.
And don't we do exactly the same?
The Gospel According to Me
We are constantly told to follow our hearts and It sounds beautiful.
But your heart can be selfish.
Your desires can be wrong.
Your feelings can change.
If we are brutally honest, some of the worst decisions we have ever made probably began with:
"I just wanted..."
I just wanted to be happy.
I just wanted to fit in.
I just wanted to avoid the argument.
I just wanted an easier life.
Desire isn't evil. But it is a terrible god.
And perhaps one of the greatest challenges for Christians today is that we are surrounded by voices telling us what we should want.
Our phones are particularly good at it.
They know what keeps us scrolling, comparing, clicking and coming back for more. The algorithm doesn't particularly care whether something makes you wiser, kinder, more faithful or more present to your family.
It wants your attention. And slowly, almost without noticing, the noise gets louder.
The noise of other people's opinions.
Other people's lives.
Other people's expectations.
And the quiet voice of God becomes harder to hear. Not because God has stopped speaking.
But because we have stopped listening.
As Parents
Perhaps this is where the Gospel becomes particularly real.
The easiest thing isn't always the most loving thing.
Giving in is often easier than holding a boundary.
Giving a child a screen is easier than dealing with their boredom.
Avoiding a difficult conversation is easier than having one.
And letting the internet shape your child's understanding of life is easier than taking responsibility for doing it yourself.
But since when was being different the worst thing that could happen to our children?
Perhaps the greater danger is raising children who never learn to question the crowd. Who never learn to say no. Who grow up believing that their feelings are the ultimate authority.
As parents, we are not called to make sure our children fit comfortably into every changing expectation of society.
We are called to help them recognise truth—even when it costs them something. And sometimes that means being the parent they don't particularly like that day.
That's not bad parenting.
Sometimes that's parenting.
As Partners
The same is true in our relationships. Modern life often encourages us to ask:
"Does this make me happy?"
It's not an unimportant question. But it is a terrible foundation for love if it is the only question we ask.
Because relationships will eventually ask something of us.
Patience. And there will be days we don't feel patient.
Forgiveness. There will be days we don't want to forgive.
Honesty. Days when walking away feels better.
Sacrifice. Why are my feelings never thought of?
But love is more than following your feelings. Sometimes the better question is:
"What does love require of me right now?"
Perhaps it means apologising.
Perhaps it means listening.
Perhaps it means putting your phone down.
Perhaps it means staying in a difficult conversation rather than escaping it.
As Workers
And then there is work.
We are encouraged to build our careers, chase opportunities and make sure we are getting what we deserve. There is nothing wrong with ambition and providing for your family matters.
But here is an uncomfortable question:
Are you building a life for your family while slowly disappearing from it?
You can gain the promotion.
The money.
The house.
The approval.
And still lose something far more important.
Jesus asks:
"What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?"
What will it profit you if you achieve everything you wanted—but become a stranger to your children, distant from your partner and unable to sit quietly with God?
We Don't Reject God. We Edit Him.
Perhaps that is the greatest temptation of all.
Most of us don't reject God.
We edit him.
We keep the parts we like.
Love.
Mercy.
Forgiveness.
The idea that God understands us.
And we quietly remove the parts that challenge us.
Sacrifice.
Self-denial.
Repentance.
Obedience.
The cross.
We want Jesus. We just want him to walk behind us. We decide where we are going, and then ask him to bless the journey.
But Peter does exactly that. He steps in front of Jesus and tries to direct him. And Jesus says:
"Get behind me."
Perhaps that is the real question of this Gospel.
Not simply:
"Do you believe in Jesus?"
But:
"Who is actually leading?"
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