[aron]

Hebrews 5:8 (NASB) "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered."

Anyone who has been on this planet a few times around the sun will know suffering. Heat, frost, insects, headaches, wind, sickness. Fear, pain, shame, confusion, frustration, anger. You frantically try to avoid loss, and then feel the inevitable powerless grief of loss itself. You persecute others and in turn you get persecuted.

For a long time I couldn't understand why anyone would kill themselves. One day I understood: they just want the pain to stop. That's why I drank for so many years; I just wanted the pain to go away. I was anesthetizing myself. Even after I became a Christian and stopped drinking I would often anesthetize myself with video games, crossword puzzles, television, cigarettes, food; anything to take away the dull ache.

Eventually I began to see patterns in my suffering. I began to sense that my suffering was not random and meaningless, but rather was often subsequent to aspects of my own behavior which in turn followed aspects of my personality, which were not subject to God. These dark forces like to hide within us, and when they manifest themselves they try to blame "the other"; it is always someone else's fault. But eventually the pattern of suffering became more clear and I couldn't deny that my problems were mainly not "of the world" but "of me".

I believe that the apostle Peter at some point could say, like Paul, that "we don't let Satan get an advantage over us, for we are not ignorant of his schemes" (2 Cor 2:11). The impetuous, violent, selfish and frightened Peter got exposed. And after repeated cycles of exposure and repentance, the restored and more experienced Peter was able help others who were likewise being misled by the subtle one. That is one reason why First Peter 5 is so precious to me. All the so-called super-apostles and deputy authorities and acting gods should read those words. Don't boss others around; just be an example to the flock by following the Shepherd. If you ever look at a flock of sheep you will notice that the lead sheep don't boss anyone around. They just take the lead to follow the shepherd. They know where the food is; where the protection is. They just go. The others, knowing that the older ones "get it", follow them. The younger ones follow them because that's where life is.

So the Perfect Son, who needed nothing, lowered Himself and came alongside Peter, and shepherded him. Failure after failure, and Jesus was there, suffering with him, bearing him up. What do you think it was like to look into the eyes of Jesus, after denying Him repeatedly, loudly. "I don't know Him!" Peter at that point was in a delerium of fear; in a haze. The light was disappearing quickly. The darkness waited, just as it had claimed Judas before him. But there in the darkness, Peter could still remember the words: "I prayed for you, and you will turn. You will come back." And when he was restored, as Jesus had promised, he could remember the charge to care for others. "A charge to keep I have".

Likewise, what do you think it was like for those brave men of David, to abandon their chief in battle? Uriah the Hittite was one of the mightiest men of Israel, specifically cited in the annals for his strength and bravery. At David's command his companions pulled back from him in the fight. Do you think their eyes met as he turned and saw them leaving him there? What did his face look like? What did their faces look like, before David, as they reported him dead? What did David's face look like when he prayed before YHWH... "What have I done?"

Experience is a hard master. Failure isn't fun. But Jesus lowered Himself and has been with each of us as we went through it all. He came for us because of the Father's great love, and He promised us in the Father's name that He wouldn't let us go. And because He was always obedient to the Father, His word is true. So why should we try to abandon Him for the temporary enjoyment of sin? And, once we've received power to resist Satan's schemes (and we will) should we not also use this experience of restoration and release, as a guide to those around us who are also suffering and in need?

To me it's clear. When Jesus said "Love your neighbor as yourself" He really meant it. No doctrine, no teaching, no truth, no organizational structure can overcome, subvert, nullify, or bypass this command. And Peter's word on shepherding in First Peter chapter 5 is to me completely obedient to, and reflective of, Jesus' command, as well as His example before his disciple Peter.