08/19/2026
Wednesday's Word: "I'm Offended: Misunderstood"
Matthew 16:13-20
"Who do you say that I am?"
This question from Jesus in our Gospel this week seems simple and straightforward which causes Peter to respond with confidence: "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus' response to Peter's confession is blessing, entrusting Peter with the work of God's kin-dom.
Yet when we consider this pericope (story) in the larger arc of Matthew's Gospel (particularly next week's Gospel), it becomes clear that Peter's understanding is incomplete. He has the right words but the wrong expectations. He believes Jesus is the Messiah—but not the kind of Messiah Jesus has come to be.
And isn't that true sometimes for us, too?
One of the hardest parts of following Jesus is discovering that we too misunderstand him. We often shape him into someone who agrees with our politics, our preferences, our fears, or our assumptions. Then Jesus says something that unsettles us by refusing to fit into the neat categories we've created.
And this can feel offensive, especially when we feel misunderstood—or when we discover we've misunderstood someone else. Our natural instinct is often to pull away, to become defensive, to stop listening, to disconnect.
Yet, Jesus does the opposite. Instead of pulling away, he leans in closer, beginning with a question, a conversation, creating the space for honest confession, incomplete understanding, and continued growth. Peter doesn't have everything figured out, yet Jesus keeps walking with him and the same is true for us.
Discipleship is about staying in the conversation long enough to let Jesus reshape our understanding. Faith grows, not by avoiding difficult questions, but by trusting that Christ is present in them. When Jesus (or even others) challenges us, we have a choice. We can become offended and walk away, or we can remain in relationship, allowing God's truth and grace to deepen our faith. The invitation of Christ is always toward connection.
