Good Intentions. Bad Advice.

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Matthew 16:21-23 NIV

http://bible.com/111/mat.16.21-23.niv

Sometimes the ones closest to us are our greatest stumbling blocks - the ones that mean well, but are seeing only from a human perspective. They stop us in mid-stride as we pursue the things of God and follow Jesus. With a heart full of good intentions, they say "Stop! For your own good, I must intervene and keep you from where you are going."

Peter confronted Jesus this way. And though Jesus loved Peter with all his heart, he was not afraid to put him in his place and show him that he is not seeing things from God's perspective. Jesus didn't give into fear, doubt and self preservation. Instead, he remained steadfast in the Father's Will. Thankfully!

We must also be alert for this kind of discouragement from the people that care about us and want the best for us. We can consider their words and pull out any Godly wisdom from what they offer, but we must not let them deter us from following in the footsteps of Jesus and accomplishing the Father's Will for our lives.