A Fragile Stone: The Emotional Life of Simon Peter (ISBN 0830834451)

A multifaceted gem of a book!:
I finished this book in only 3 days because I couldn't stop reading, I loved it! Card uncovers personal perspectives about Peter and about Jesus. Some highlights (among MANY) that struck me: WHEN Peter tried to walk on water: "The lesson is that Peter needed to sink in order to take that next step of faith in Jesus. Because walking on the water does not ultimately increase our faith, only sinking does! Those who ask for miracles and receive them soon forget. But those who suffer for Christ's sake never forget." "And what often goes unappreciated is that Peter's short walk was indeed a triumph of faith. It was his first miracle!" ON GOOD FRIDAY: "Jesus and his disciples were celebrating their Passover on Thursday when everyone else in Jerusalem was making preparations on Friday. This means that the Jews of Jerusalem were preparing and slaughtering their Passover lambs at precisely the same moment the following day, when Jesus, the Lamb of God, was dying on the cross." ON PETER'S DENIAL: After he denies Jesus the third time, Luke records that Jesus turned to him and looked at Peter across the courtyard. "It was this look, I believe, that broke Peter's heart. The understanding gaze of Jesus could not have been one of disdain or condemnation. That was not Jesus' way. I believe the only look that could have broken Simon Peter was of love and forgiveness. Which is just what we would expect from our Savior." There's also a segment that tears at your heart when Jesus, resurrected, asks Peter three times to take care of his Sheep, neutralizing Peter's three denials. It has never before struck me with the force of Jesus' kindness and forgiveness as Card reveals it. This book is less than 200 paperback-like pages that go by quickly. It is overflowing with insight and wonderful personal moments. Peter, the leader of the Apostles, may have faltered in his faith, but never in his love for Jesus. You will come away with a newfound respect for Peter and especially for the Friend he followed to the end.

A more real Peter than the usual stereotype:
I have always loved Peter so much for his impetuousness, imperfections, and deep love for Christ. In this book, Michael Card has presented a much more real Peter than I have ever seen. I can see him so clearly now as he grew in his faith, love, obedience, and strength in Christ. I see him with his personal struggles as he comes to the realization that the Messiah must die and that following Jesus may very well lead to his own death. In the chapter describing the changes around Jesus during the last week of his life, Michael Card focuses on the fact that people began leaving Jesus because He made them realize that following Him would be hard, challenging, dangerous, and yet more fulfilling than any other experience of life. When the people say that what Jesus is describing is hard and who could bear that life, they begin leaving. Jesus turns to the twelve and asks if they are going to leave as well. Only Peter answers telling Jesus that He is Lord, Savior - where else would they go? In the past, when I have read or studied this part of Scripture, I just assumed that Peter was giving a strong affirmation of their faith and faithfulness. Michael Card gives another and much more realistic portrayal - Peter is tired, sad, disappointed and he agrees with the people who said that following Christ is hard and difficult to bear. His answer is more one of resignation - You are the Lord, Jesus. You are the Savior, you are the way to salvation - Where else are we going to go?? I have read these pages to almost everyone I know because Card continues on with these thoughts and states that at some point in our lives, we will also be disappointed with Christ. Things will go in a way we never wanted or imagined - he gave the examples of losing a child or getting cancer. At these points in our lives, we have the same decision as Peter - are we going to stay or will we decide that being a Christian is too hard and we cannot bear it. But we will be forced to choose faith or no faith at what may be the most painful point in our lives. Peter made his choice, yet he then followed by denying Christ three times. Watching Peter become "the rock" from being a "fragile stone" has brought me to an even stronger place in my faith. Peter is shown to be like us - with all the struggles, mistakes,joys and sorrows and he was able to choose Christ above all. Michael Card takes the reader on Peter's journey and the reader is strengthened and enriched. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would - just as I would have done for his book, A Sacred Sorrow - Reaching Out to God in the Lost Language of Lament.

Rock star:
Slight but easily-read study of the life of Peter, who in Card's hands becomes the most passionately-colored Disciple and Apostle. No deep theology, just an interesting portrait. One interesting insight is that Jesus renamed Simon "the Rock" (Peter), then never called him that. As Card says, "the Rock" isn't a name, it is at best a title, as in Simon the Rock, Simon Peter, then Card draws the parallel to Jesus the Christ, Jesus Christ! Card makes a compelling case for Peter as Jesus' best friend. He points to the epistles' reference to the resurrected Jesus appearing first to Peter, a meeting not recorded in the Gospels, as evidence of Jesus going first to Peter to forgive him for the betrayal and strengthen him for the events to come.

Check the references....find the scripture:
I enjoyed the book. It does a good job of making Peter real. However, I found some of the speculation disconcerting and in checking some of the points with Strong's concordance and the scipture itself, I found the scholarship some what weak. (Jesus never calling Peter by the name Peter....Peter cutting off the ear lobe, not the ear...and so on.) I had a few to many questions to accept everything is this book. Lots of good points, though, and it was written with passion for Jesus and for Peter!

A Deeper Understanding:
Michael Card does a great job at taking the reader on an expedition of Simon Peter's emotional state. His goal to help me understand Christ that much more is certainly attained here. This was a pouring out of the author's heart.