And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly – Matthew 26:75
“When I was a kid, my grandma used to say, ‘Life presents choices… and choices lead to consequences.’ She’d say, ‘The choices we make determine our future. And once you make that choice, you got to accept what comes with it, whether you like it or not.” This is the opening narrative in the movie The Knife that centers on a family’s fateful night. It’s the syllabus for a tale about how fear can lead to a split-second decision with tragic results.
When dissecting the term split-second decisions, it must be understood that a person’s mental state is influenced by their situation. Therefore, their choices do not always reflect rational judgment, especially when under duress. This was the case when Peter denied Jesus three times, as outlined in Matthew 26:69–75. His behavior contradicted what was demonstrated in John 18:10-11 when he had drawn a sword and cut off the ear of a priest’s servant to protect Jesus from being captured.
Watching The Knife reeducated me about situations that impact judgment and how fear can prompt split-second decisions with life-altering consequences. So, how can someone prepare in advance to make wise choices even under pressure? Solomon offers a wise strategy.