When Jesus tells his followers that he’s going to die, most of us get behind Peter. Who wouldn’t stand up; committing to keep the armies away from the Messiah?

That we think this is the most natural response to the moment shows how normal Peter is. And how much we struggle to hear what Jesus is telling us about this messianic campaign.

The bravado of conflict, with the assurance of commitment, make the whole thing seem like the right thing to do. But the problem isn’t the impulse to protect, but the one that pulls Peter out of place behind Jesus. When he steps in front of Jesus (to shake some sense into him), he isn’t following him. He’s trying to make Jesus follow him.

This isn’t a maxim about leadership, but about our trust in THE Messiah. In Jesus. And our understanding of the project. To love, sacrifice, and give for the sake of the world.