Riding the waves sans board
This week's bit is from Matthew 14:29-32:
Peter started off OK with the water walking thing, but ultimately he failed at it. His faith was too weak. Jesus saved him when he cried out. But don't you think God knew he was going to fail? Jesus called him, potentially knowing he'd fail, and being ready to catch him. That's pretty cool.
If Peter had walked on water and not faltered, I don't think the lesson would be nearly as deep. Ministry would seem polar, like either you can walk on water perfectly, or you're one of some numberless mass of sinkers, who live in constant unending shame at not measuring up to the perfection of the water-walkers. People would either get it right the first time, or they'd drown.
The main weight of what Jesus died for was to make it OK to fail. It was more important for Peter to step out and take a couple perfect steps before sinking than it was for him to stay dry in the boat working out some complicated theology on why he'd fail if he tried. That's why that story is included. It wasn't to keep Peter humble by passing on one of many records of where he screwed up. It was to show how the failure was actually a kind of success. Imperfect obedience is better than perfect bench-sitting.
Jesus called Peter "You of little faith." We look at that like it's only an insult, comparing it to "You of total faith," or "You of really incredibly awesome mega-faith." Isn't "You of little faith" still way better than "You of no faith?" "You of little faith" is both a critique and a compliment.
Jesus took Peter's hand and they went back to the boat together. He didn't stand there and let him drown. He didn't lecture him for an hour on how the model is to walk on the water, not in it. He didn't rally the other, bench-sitting, disciples in the boat to mock him so that his pride would be challenged. He and Peter both knew what was up, and that's all that mattered about that. The only thing to do after that was to move on together. The Jesus people think they know, who responds to failure with mockery, beatings, and condemnation isn't the real Jesus at all. That's Satan's game.
The Bible doesn't mention if Peter ever tried walking on water again. It doesn't really matter if he did. The important thing is that he tried it the first time when he was called. There is no condemnation in that. That's an important lesson to remember the next time we're called to do something that seems impossible. Maybe we'll do better than Peter, but even if we don't, Jesus will still take our hand.
"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
Most people know these verses. A guy even wrote a whole book on them. Somebody other than Jesus walked on water, even if he did do a lousy job of it. The interesting bit is, it's just as significant that Peter sank as it was that he walked on the water.
Peter started off OK with the water walking thing, but ultimately he failed at it. His faith was too weak. Jesus saved him when he cried out. But don't you think God knew he was going to fail? Jesus called him, potentially knowing he'd fail, and being ready to catch him. That's pretty cool.
If Peter had walked on water and not faltered, I don't think the lesson would be nearly as deep. Ministry would seem polar, like either you can walk on water perfectly, or you're one of some numberless mass of sinkers, who live in constant unending shame at not measuring up to the perfection of the water-walkers. People would either get it right the first time, or they'd drown.
The main weight of what Jesus died for was to make it OK to fail. It was more important for Peter to step out and take a couple perfect steps before sinking than it was for him to stay dry in the boat working out some complicated theology on why he'd fail if he tried. That's why that story is included. It wasn't to keep Peter humble by passing on one of many records of where he screwed up. It was to show how the failure was actually a kind of success. Imperfect obedience is better than perfect bench-sitting.
Jesus called Peter "You of little faith." We look at that like it's only an insult, comparing it to "You of total faith," or "You of really incredibly awesome mega-faith." Isn't "You of little faith" still way better than "You of no faith?" "You of little faith" is both a critique and a compliment.
Jesus took Peter's hand and they went back to the boat together. He didn't stand there and let him drown. He didn't lecture him for an hour on how the model is to walk on the water, not in it. He didn't rally the other, bench-sitting, disciples in the boat to mock him so that his pride would be challenged. He and Peter both knew what was up, and that's all that mattered about that. The only thing to do after that was to move on together. The Jesus people think they know, who responds to failure with mockery, beatings, and condemnation isn't the real Jesus at all. That's Satan's game.
The Bible doesn't mention if Peter ever tried walking on water again. It doesn't really matter if he did. The important thing is that he tried it the first time when he was called. There is no condemnation in that. That's an important lesson to remember the next time we're called to do something that seems impossible. Maybe we'll do better than Peter, but even if we don't, Jesus will still take our hand.
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