Did you ever jump off the high dive at a swimming pool? If so, what happened the first time you tried? An experienced person convinces you that you can do it and tells you how easy it is. Then you slowly climb the ladder with your knees shaking. When at last you reach the top and inch your way toward the edge of the board, you start having second guesses, convince yourself that this is too dangerous, and doubts begin to grip your mind. Still shaking you ease your way back to the ladder, and with a sigh of relief descend back down to earth where you feel safe again.
Peter had similar feelings when he tried walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-36).
“During the fourth watch of the night (3 to 6 AM), he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost,’ they said, and they cried out with fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Peter said to him in reply, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.”
Imagine these grownup, rugged fishermen being afraid of a ghost! I suppose that the tossing of the boat by the waves stirred up some fear of dying inside them, then the ghost must have looked like the angel of death. Jesus could have let them stew for a while in their fear, instead he spoke up “at once” to calm them down. Everything was fine then, until Peter got the urge to try the “water-walking” trick. He asked Jesus to prove that he wasn’t a ghost by commanding him to walk on the water. Jesus went along with the crazy idea and said, “Come.” So, Peter jumped out of the boat, and to everyone’s surprise, he started walking across the “high diving board.” Peter trusted in Jesus—for a while.
“But when he saw how strong the wind was, he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”
Halfway across the “diving board,” Peter looked down and realized how high he was off the ground. Instead of fixing his eyes on Jesus, he began to look at the waves and feel the power of the wind. Then Peter’s shallow faith gave way to his fear, and he started to sink. As he went down, he screamed out to Jesus for help. Again, instead of letting Peter swallow a few gulps of sea water to learn his lesson, Jesus “immediately” reached out and caught him. Have you ever tried to pull someone out of deep water? Imagine the strength of Jesus!
Peter dared to take a risk, and though his faith was not strong enough to walk on the water for long, he learned that Jesus was always there to save him, even when he created his own jam. The others played it safe and stayed in the boat and didn’t need Jesus to save them.
How much do we trust in Jesus? Are we willing to step out on the water? When we are sinking, are we humble enough to call to Jesus for help?
