Standing By The Fire

Luke 22:54-55
54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.

I don't mean to over-spiritualize things or make more of something than is there. But to me, there is more to this story than just the 3 denials of Peter. I know that Christ foretold that Peter would deny Him 3 times, and I'm not saying Jesus was wrong or incomplete in His statement.

But Peter was in the courtyard. Jesus was off in the distance, but enough where Peter (and his new associates) could see and probably hear what was going on. In John's gospel, we read that while Peter is warming himself and 'between denials', Jesus is on trial. As Peter is sitting by the fire, Jesus Christ is being lied about, mocked, and hit. It is amidst this injustice that Peter is given opportunity to verbally deny Christ.

How many times have I been sitting there and heard a word against my Lord and said nothing. How many times do I hear comments that are a mockery to my Savior who hung on a cross for my sins, and said nothing because I don't want to judge.

I know that we're not suppose to judge lost people, but are we not suppose to stand for Christ. I know that Jesus does not need me to fight His fights, but isn't loyalty more than 'being there'?