Remember when you couldn’t go anywhere without the constant reminder to “keep six feet”? At times this was such a nuisance, but other times, like when people were coughing or at Disney in May when you enjoy the extra space from people, this rule wasn’t so horrible. Randomly there will still be a “six feet” sign and my youngest will let me know I am too close to him. Coming from him this is ironic because doesn’t everyone have a clingy Koala baby?

Peter was a disciple I consider a “clinger.”

He was that friend to Jesus that hung on his every word, even scolding Jesus when He spoke of his death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21-23), and walked on water to Jesus during a storm to be near Him (Mattew 14:29). Peter constantly needed to be reassured of His love for him and also verbally declared he would never desert Jesus (Matthew 26:33-35).

But in the end, when the crowd of men came to take Jesus to the high council, 

Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. Matthew 26:56

Even Peter ran for a minute, until he decided to follow Jesus.

But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. Matthew 26:58

Peter was no longer following Jesus like before. He wasn’t right at his side, protecting Him, walking by faith through the storm. No, Peter kept his distance. 

I can’t help but think of how many people in our society are still suffering from the distance we enforced. So many were isolated from friends, loved ones, colleagues, and church. Those who didn’t have a community who regularly kept up on zoom calls, House Party, and FaceTime sunk deeper in isolation. 

The deeper we remain in isolation, the more distance we keep from Jesus, the more Satan creeps in. 

69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Matthew 26:69-75

Peter’s distance from Jesus allowed doubts and shame to sink in. 

How many times have we isolated ourselves from others and Jesus to then fall victim to a horrible mistake. 

Friends, it is time to stop six feet. Stop six feet from Jesus first. Instead we need to remain as close to Him as possible by reading his Word and communicating with Him in daily prayer. Then we need to check on our loved ones. The one who constantly isolates and says no to invitations. Keep asking, keep pursuing, and keep loving. Even though Peter denied Jesus, it was Peter whom Jesus returned to after His resurrection. 

Stop six feet.