Many a blunder

Albert Bogle August 28, 2026 0 0

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Matthew 16: 13–20 (NIV-UK)

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’

14 They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’

15 ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’

16 Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’

17 Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Knowing what others think of us can be an interesting exercise in self-awareness while also being challenging. Annual appraisals are one of these areas. How it is delivered will often reflect on how it will be received. Getting honest feedback can be of great value, but how we respond to it is the important point. Robert Burns, our national poet here in Scotland gave us the line from the poem To a Louse:

‘O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us,To see oursels as ithers see us! It wad frae mony a blunder free us, An’ foolish notion…’

Of course appraisal is one thing, but people love to gossip and what they say isn’t always true or complimentary. In Matthew’s Gospel we read that Jesus was interested in what the general public thought about him. But the drive of the question was really that Jesus wanted to ascertain how many of the disciples really understood who he was. So he starts with a general question about the crowd and finishes with a more profound question, one that still rings true today — ‘but who do you say that I am?’

How you answer that question will determine the way you see yourself and the impact your life is going to have upon the waiting crowd of individuals who you will meet over your lifespan. Our spoken words carry a creative power that can either bless or bring confusion and mistrust into an environment. What comes out of our mouths reveals our hearts and will help shape the culture all around us.

Questions for personal reflection: How does the verbal culture in your workplace impact your exhaustion levels? How can guarding your heart against bitterness prevent emotional fatigue? How can you use your words this week to release others from stress, offer sincere praise, or de-escalate workplace conflict?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus

Guide my tongue today

Help me speak words of grace and healing

When I’m faced with contentious situations

Guard my tongue against speaking gossip

For gossip undermines trust,

And creates an environment of fear and apprehension

Give me the wisdom

To know the difference between gossip

And passing on helpful information

Above all help me see myself as you see me

Your beloved child

And in doing so

Inspire me to speak well of those around me

And in doing so free me from “many a blunder”