Can We Walk on Water?
If failure were not a concern, what adventure would you begin? Would you start a business? Write a book? Walk the Appalachian Trail? Quit your job? Buy some property? Become a professional artist? Start a relationship? Run a marathon? Repair your own car? The big If in such ventures is failure. We do not attempt such endeavors because failure seems inevitable. What are my chances of successfully replacing the transmission on my minivan? And if, with the assistance of 156 hours of YouTube repair videos, I did install a new transmission, would I trust my work enough to begin a cross country trip? (No, I would not.) For better or worse, failure, or better the fear of it, keeps us safe in our homes.
The Gospel of Matthew tells about courage and fear. In Chapter 14, Jesus feeds the 5,000, and following that event, he seems eager to relocate. Jesus ushers his disciples to a boat and then casts them out to sea. Following that, he dismisses the crowd. Afterwards, Jesus spends solitary time in prayer, which gives the disciples a considerable head start. While the disciples are in their boat, the winds begin and then intensify. The waves buffet the boat and toss its passengers to and fro. Just before dawn, Jesus opts to cross the sea and meet the disciples at their destination. He, however, lacks a boat, so he cruises across the storm seas in Jesus-style: He walks on the water.
The plan works brilliantly until the disciples notice Jesus in the distance. Aboard their tossing vessel, they see a ghost-like apparition strolling across the waters. And they responded just as we would, they cried out in fear (Matthew 14.26). But then, Jesus immediately said to them, “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (14.27).
Fear rules this story, especially from the disciples’ perspective: a well-fed crowd of thousands seems on the cusp of rioting; they are aboard a wind-tossed vessel; the darkness of night limits visibility; and then, a “ghost” appears on the water. The human response to fear is (1) fight, (2) flee, or (3) freeze. In this situation, the only available options seems to freeze. Both fighting and fleeing seem impossible: people cannot fight the wind and fleeing into the waves seems useless. Thus, the disciples opt for freeze – except for one feckless follower – Peter. He shouts from the security of the boat: “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water” (14.28). Jesus responds, “Come.” And then Peter chooses the amazing. He choose to flee the relative safety of the boat for the absolute safety of Jesus Christ. Then, Peter got down out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus (14.29).
As the story continues, we learn Peter, after some initial steps, becomes afraid. He sees the wind. He looks away from Jesus. He begins to sink. In fear, Peter cries out, “Lord, save me” (14.30). Jesus takes hold of the sinking man and lifts him to safety.
As we consider this story, we often focus on the sinking. We remember Jesus’ scolding remarks: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (14.31). But let’s not forget, eleven disciples froze inside the boat. One, and only one, steps onto the water. For a moment, Peter believed. And while that faith did not last, he mustered it temporarily. Those perilous waters proved a training ground for faith. Jesus was close at hand to ensure Peter’s safety. After a couple of steps, Peter’s faith succumbs to fear, but we can reasonably concludes the experience emboldened him. While Jesus’ remarks seem filled with frustration, they are are also filled with direction. Jesus is essentially saying to Peter, “Stop doubting. Stop being fearful. Only believe.” One disciple received a lesson that day – Peter. Eleven did not.
Consider this, after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and then ascension, the disciples are directionless in their fledgling religious revolution. One disciple, though, begins to lead – Peter. And that leadership emerges with the first miracle after Jesus’ departure. Peter and John are entering the temple and pass a man lame since birth. The disabled man begs them for money. And Peter responds, “Look at us!” (Acts 3.4). Peter continues, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3.6). At that, Peter helps the man to his feet … and the formerly lame man walks away. Does Peter perform this miracle if he had not first sank into the water? We cannot say, but the question is rightly asked.
For us, how are we learning faith today? Where are we trusting God, even if poorly? Faith can grow. It needs only to be practiced. And at times, our God might scold us, but as the scripture say, “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as son” (Hebrews 12.6). Such scolding, though, makes a stronger. It makes us more faithful.
