Peter simply could not reconcile his understanding of success with the crucifixion—with failures, rejections, and defeats; with mustard seeds and a few loaves and fishes. Despite three years of being with Jesus, he remained so infected with success-ism that, at Jesus’s arrest, he could justify resorting to violence to protect it. With success as a supreme value, he didn’t think twice about drawing a sword and cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant (Matthew 26:51).
