John 18:15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard,
Who knows who you are? Google, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat? Who knows who you are? Do they know the real you, while a different version is displayed for those who actually physically interact with you in real life? Or do those who actually interact with you know who you really are?
So often, people have different personas, different faces that get put on in different situations. Some of this is OK. Not everyone wants to know what you are like when you are singing in the shower! Let’s keep that hidden, please.
But those who are actually in your life, those you interact with in this physical world, not the digital world, should have the opportunity to see the real you. We should be able to let our guard down and let the real us show, a real us that is being changed over time into a better version, a version that more closely reflects our growing relationship with the Holy.
But I have found that many more people know who I am than who are known by me. In my life, there is an imbalance. And this could be scary if I had things that I wanted to hide. I might spend my life looking over my shoulder, wondering who might know something about me that I wanted to remain hidden.
But all leaders, by nature of the position, have more exposure to being known than those who work in the shadows, in the background supporting those up front. That is the normal turn of affairs.
So when our text tells us that an unnamed disciple is known by the high priest, that raises some questions. It would be nothing for this unnamed disciple to know the high priest. That would be normal. He could look him up on Instagram, or LinkedIn. The high priest was the public figure. Many would know him, having seen him and his entourage moving through town.
But to be known by the high priest enough to be allowed into the courtyard of his house, now that is a different story. I don’t let just anyone into my house. And the courtyard is the inner part of the house that was surrounded by the rooms. It was open to the sky.
And this disciple was allowed into that area! But that isn’t all. He was allowed to bring a guest, Simon Peter. He was not only known to the high priest, but when he talked to the security detail, also known as the servant girl, he was able to persuade her to allow an extra guest at this important moment.
It seems as though this disciple was able to leverage his connection to the high priest at this moment. And I am glad he did. It provides us a much more intimate understanding of what happened in those moments. We have ‘ear witness’ testimony about what was said between the high priest and Jesus. Remember, no soundproofing in their houses.
So who knows who you are? Who would you let into your house? If others were allowed in, perhaps at the wrong moment, what would they learn? What would an ‘ear witness’ take away from a visit to your home?
It is often these mundane moments that speak more about who we are than the public proclamations that we make. What do we do with the difference between these two? How can we bring these two into closer proximity?
The Arnold Journey 