Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, January 25, 2026
When I saw this gallon of milk sitting on a trash container outside a grocery store, my first thought was, “No use crying over spilt milk!” (Or “spilled” milk, but the British “spilt” is how I first heard it.)
I’ve been musing over milk ever since I saw this abandoned gallon. As usual, my thoughts wandered over to the Bible, and, as usual, I asked myself questions: Was there any “spilt milk” in the Bible stories I’ve heard and read for lo, these many years? If so, what caused it and how was it handled?
But first I must define “spilt milk.” It was fun reading the history and current usage of the idiom, some from dictionaries and some from dairy council websites! The consensus seems to be that it refers to something unfortunate that has happened and cannot be undone, and the only decent and profitable thing to do is to move on. There is nothing to be gained by dwelling in regret.
I thought of Peter. Hours after he proclaimed he would die with Jesus rather than ever disown Him, he emphatically denied knowing Him or being one of his followers – three times. That’s not a slight misfortune of accidentally spilling some milk, but a firehose of words, spewing out cruel disavowal of friendship and followership of the One who had patiently loved and taught Him for three years.
Going back to our definition, this was something unfortunate that happened, and it could not be undone . . . but was moving on the only decent and profitable thing to do?
No. First, he needed to cry over spilt milk.
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:75 NKJV)
Reading the rest of Peter’s story, we see that these were tears of sincere repentance. We see Jesus forgiving him, reinstating him in ministry in front of his fellow disciples who knew all about his cowardly denials, and empowering him for leadership in the early Christian church.
I love the detail mentioned when an angel at the empty tomb tells Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome (hands full of spices with which to anoint the body of Jesus) that He is not there; He is risen! And then:
“But go, tell His disciples — and Peter — that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” (Mark 16:7)
Peter, singled out for inclusion. Imagine how he felt when he heard that message, from heaven to his heavy heart!
The story of Peter’s denial is told in all four gospels. I think we hear so much about him not only here, but throughout the gospels, because there is so much Peter in all of us.
Only after he was thoroughly repentant, and knew he was fully forgiven, could Peter move on. Otherwise, he would have lived in regret, and wallowed in guilt.
How good it is to be reminded that no matter how much milk we spill, accidentally or deliberately, we, too, can move on, as fully forgiven followers of Jesus, whose blood spilled out for us all.