The Look
By Grant Gaines
Have you ever read a book, heard a story, or seen a movie that just left you sitting on the edge of your seat begging for more as the credits begin to roll? The book is done, but your imagination isn’t. You want more. There is just that nagging feeling that all the “t’s” aren’t crossed and “i’s” aren’t dotted. Something is missing.
Well if you’ve ever felt this way, I know how you feel. In fact, that’s the exact feeling I had as I concluded last week’s blog “The Roster’s Crow”. Something was missing. The story couldn’t be done. I didn’t know what it was, but I just knew that there had to be more.
So I reread the story—Peter denied Jesus at the crowing of the rooster, Satan reminded Peter of this failure morning after morning, and Jesus reinstated Peter in John 21. That was it. That’s where our discussion last week left off. What am I missing!?
And then it hit me like a ton of bricks—the look.
Luke 22:61 (NIV) records this look by saying that immediately after Peter denied Christ and the rooster crowed, Jesus, “…turned and looked straight at Peter….”
I don’t know about you, but I bet you Jesus could give you that look if He wanted to. You know the one I’m talking about, don’t you? It’s the look an angry coach gives his clumsy player. It’s the look an upset teacher gives her mischievous pupil. And it’s the look a frustrated mother gives her misbehaving child.
It’s never fun to be on the other end of the look. And I believe that even as we grow up, the fear of the look from our bosses, friends, or spouses still drives us to avoid failure at all costs. We stay late at work, we please more people, and we buy more flowers all in hopes to avoid the look.
And when we do get the look? We run, we hide, we withdrawal. In fact, it was this logic that led me to believe that the reason Peter went fishing in the first place in John 21 was to run from the look—he was changing professions. How could you continue on as a follower after getting the look from your Leader? Surely, I reasoned, Peter was done as a disciple and was going back to the only thing he really knew—fishing.
The very thought of Jesus, “…turn[ing] and look[ing] straight at Peter…” (Luke 22:61, NIV) was enough to send chills up my spine. I used to think that was a look of bitter disappointment. I always squirmed as I imagined that look Christ gave Peter. And more importantly, I believed this was the look God gave me whenever I sinned. Does anyone else share in this dreadful feeling?
But if you really believe that the whole Bible is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16) and is connected all the way through, then you have to ask yourself, “Is a condemning look something you would expect from Christ?” Isn’t God all-loving, long-suffering, and ever-forgiving? And isn’t it Romans 8:1 (ESV) that says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”?
Christ’s character is not one of condemnation but confirmation. There is no condemnation. This means that Jesus could not have been looking at Peter with an accusing, disappointed, or spiteful look but rather with a look of love, forgiveness ,and reassurance. It’s the only possible way to look at the look with Christ’s character in context. Without saying a word, Jesus’ look said it all—“Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ” (Romans 8:35-39).
That’s the look Peter got at the exact moment of his greatest failure and that is the same look that Jesus is giving you today. He is not turning His back on you, He is not turning His love away from you, nor is He through with you. Jesus is looking at you with a look of love, with a look of forgiveness, and with a look of acceptance. Christ does not want you to fall for the lie of Satan by being shackled by the chains of fear and shame because, “It is for freedom that Christ has set you free…” (Galatians 5:1, NIV). So the next time Satan reminds you of your past, you remind him of his future.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
©Grant Gaines 2013
