History is filled with accounts of what could best be described as epic interpersonal failures, instances where people got it truly, horribly wrong in how they treated each other.
Joseph’s brothers determine to kill him and instead settle for the “kindness” of merely selling him into slavery. Samson’s wife says, “Honey, please tell me the answer to your riddle,” and he says, “I haven’t even told my mom and dad; why would I tell you?” David steals the wife of one of his dearest friends, then murders him to cover it all up.
But I suspect no failure in all of humanity wrecked a man quite like the failure of Peter.
Just before Jesus made his way to Calvary to die for all of us, he warned his men that all of them would fail him that night and that Peter would go so far as to deny that he even knew him. He told him that before the cock crowed twice, Peter would openly deny him three times. Peter, naturally, assured him that even if all men denied him, he himself would never do so.
And yet, as Matthew 26:74-75 records: Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 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.