Chameleon

"Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy."
Galatians2:11-13

Paul was observing the change in his brother, Peter, and it bothered him. In one climate, or setting, Peter was eating with the Gentiles, because all things were okay for him to eat. But when the representatives from the church back home in Jerusalem came, Peter would eat with the Jews, and revert back to his this-is-kosher-and-this-is-not ways. Paul saw this and pointed it out to Peter, "to his face."

For me, this is bittersweet, because on one hand, I see Peter as being human. I read the great sermon he preached on Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon them there in the upper room, and the Lord added 3,000 new believers to the kingdom that day. I see Peter at Cornelius' house, ministering to him and his family, his household, as Peter was obedient to the direction of God in his life. I see this and I am encouraged. But then I also see what Paul saw: Peter's fear of what men would think of him.

I grew up in the church. I learned all the "Christian-ese" that anyone would want. I knew what to say, and when to say it. When I was with Christians, I was a "nice Christian boy." But my heart was dark. Kind of like when Jesus told the Pharisees they were nothing but "whitewashed tombs," clean on the outside but full of death on the inside. I look back on that time now with sadness and regret. It's hard to be a chameleon person, changing with your surroundings. But praise God, I have now been set free from that bondage, because "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32), and "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). I look back on those early days, afraid to even mention that I went to church, and I can rejoice now, that I am truly free.

If you are bound by the bondage that the fear of man can bring, allow the Son, Jesus, to set you free. Are there inconsistencies in your life, that even you don't like? Allow Jesus into every corner of your heart. Allow Him to clean you, not only on the outside (because that is the least important part), but allow Him to clean you on the inside; to remove the death and decay that you have been trying to hide for so long. There is nothing to fear about what men may think of you. I know from that you can be set free. Even a chameleon can change.