His feathered forefathers came from India. They travelled to Persia and Greece and eventually reached Palestine.

According to Jewish tradition, roosters were unwelcome immigrants to Jerusalem because their constant scratching might unearth unclean things. Legend also has it that one rooster was stoned to death in Jerusalem for pecking out a child’s brains.

The Passion Narrative would not be complete without the rooster. He makes salvation history just by crowing. He plays a central role in all four Gospels. His Good Friday crow signals the worst moment in Peter’s life – his ground zero.

Just as Peter was cursing and swearing out his third denial of Christ, the cock crowed right on cue, as Jesus had predicted. For the rooster, it was just another day, another crow.

But for Peter, it was a cruel awakening to the horror and hell of his sin.

Universally, the cock’s crow is a wake-up call. Every housing estate in Singapore should have a rooster that crows every time we commit sin.

When we betray a sacred trust, may the cock crow.

When we boast in our own strength and standing, may the cock crow.

When we esteem ourselves better than others, may the cock crow.

When we fall asleep in the hour of prayer, let the cock crow.

When we slice ears and wound hearts with our two-edged tongues, may the cock crow.

When we deny Christ in word and deed, may the cock crow.

When we fail to confess Christ, despite clear and compelling opportunities to do so, may the cock crow loud and clear!

Short of a rooster in every block, we all have a conscience. By way of application, it is not far-fetched to take the cockcrow as a metaphor of conscience. Peter’s failures are recorded in the Bible, not that we might excuse ourselves, but that we might examine ourselves.

His fall brilliantly mirrors our own infirmity (John Calvin). Let those who have never been faint-hearted and who have always demonstrated their civil courage cast the first stone (F. Bovon).

Ask not for whom the cock crows. It crows for thee.

PrayerWatch

Conscience is the compass. Scripture is the map. Martin Luther famously pointed out the relationship between the Word and the conscience: “My conscience is captive to the Word of God, I cannot and I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand …”

Righteousness and godly character are the results of allowing the conscience to do its God-given work in us. The Christian conscience fears God and loves Him enough to do away with even the faintest suggestions of sin. It sets the alarm going whenever the will of the person strays from God’s will (Bishop Emeritus Robert Solomon, adapted).

• Conscience speaks. Determine to cultivate a Word-shaped conscience. Be a person of clear conscience, desiring to act honourably in all things (Hebrews 13:18). Examine yourself. Confess and repent: Have you ever…
   
  • Doubted God, envied others, felt ungrateful for His blessings?
  • Loved anyone or anything more than you love God?
  • Brushed aside the Spirit’s promptings and conviction of sin?
  • Used the Lord’s name in vain to manipulate others and get your way?
  • Pretended to be more spiritual than you really are?
  • Resented correction by your parents or leaders?
  • Boasted about yourself and exaggerated your own abilities?
  • Minimised your mistakes and magnified those of others?
  • Deliberately lied to save face?
  • Cheated your employer of an honest day’s work?
  • Defrauded your employees of wages or bonuses or rewards?
  • Deliberately said or did things behind others to tarnish their reputation?
  • Lost self-control, got angry with others, and called them names?
  • Neglected your ageing or ailing parents?
  • Bullied your spouse and humiliated him or her in private or in public?
  • Ignored your children’s craving for your presence and attention?
  • Caused tensions and fights at home?
  • Disobeyed your parents and broke their hearts?
  • Walked away from someone in need?
  • Harboured unkind thoughts about others?
  • Secretly took pleasure in someone’s mishap?
  • Divulged confidential information and betrayed trust?
  • Refused to forgive others or apologise for your mistakes?
  • Advised someone to have an abortion?
  • Looked lustfully at another person?
  • Dressed immodestly to attract attention and entice others?
  • Engaged in impure acts with yourself or another?
  • Viewed pornography?

Read the devotional from Day 24, July 24: Meltdown here.