It takes courage to do the right thing

Human Nature Demands that someone will, in your lifetime:
1. Betray You
2. Deny your friendship/relationship when the heat is on
3. Abandon you in your time of need for selfish reasons

"Then they all forsook Him and fled." Matthew 26:56

The Lord Jesus invested so much in His relationship with 12 men (His disciples/Apostles) and look at what He went through with them in the end. The Lord more than understands the hurtful, painful things we experience in friendships and family relationships. Even among believers we can and will go through much of the same. The Lord understands the things people will sacrifice where a relationship with you is concerned.

Not everyone hangs around you for pure reasons. This was true of Judas Iscariot. We see that the love of money caused him to betray his relationship with Christ. 

The Lord foretold for Peter what his reaction would be when the heat was on. Peter really thought that he was capable of a faithful, dedicated relationship with the Lord. He meant it at the time, but when the challenge came, he denied Jesus. The disciple who laid his head on the breast of the Lord (John), he too fled and forsook the Lord.

In Luke 22 we read the account of what took place with Peter's denial (vs. 31-34; 54-62). 

It is true that whatever the Lord Jesus suffered on earth, His followers will suffer much of the same. He tells us to prepare to suffer many things as a Christian. We must not be surprised when we are hated, rejected, scorned, disowned, cursed, and lied on by those who know not Christ as personal Savior. It will hurt, especially when it comes from those of our own family or those, we were close with. As a Christian we will have to make certain decisions and choices that won't go over easy with people. They will almost always label us as thinking that we're: 
1. Better than others
2. Full of ourselves (prideful)
3. Looking down on others

These are the comments we may receive from those in the world who don't understand our need to separate from anything or anyone that goes against the lifestyle we have chosen to live.

As for the Disciples, they were afraid and reacted based on fear. Peter had great remorse and regret for having done so. He wept bitterly. Judas on the other hand, was riddled with guilt and tried to undo what he'd done and when that failed, he committed suicide. There's a difference between guilt and remorse. They are not one in the same. Remorse leads to repentance while guilt terrorizes the individual to no end. Remorse is being sorrowful for what you did. A guilty conscience just leaves you in turmoil and you aren't saying you are sorry for anything because you don't acknowledge any wrongdoing.

Are you willing and ready to take a bold stand for what is right as a Christian? Are you able to lose relationships to follow the Lord God? Can you take the ridicule, rejection and the ostracizing from unbelievers as well as believers? Why have I thrown 'believers' into the equation? I added them there because not every Christian is an obedient child of God. Some are worldly and saved by profession of faith only. Some may not be really saved and have a resemblance of a Christian by way of attending church, serving and talking the talk. Some believers hate their brother. We read of that in 1 John 3:9-11. 

Let us draw near to God and He promises to draw near to us. Let's keep a strong and steady prayer life in order to receive the strength and help we need in times of challenge. Ask God to help you to be bold and courageous no matter what. He is faithful, He will help us to do just that.