Key Verse: "Come," He said. Then Peter got down
out of the boat, walked on the water and came "toward," Jesus.
Matthew 14:29
We surely do worship The Lord of Second chances. Do you
remember the first time the disciples found themselves in a similar predicament?
Jesus was asleep in the boat, yet, when the wind and the waves kicked up, they
were afraid. Now Jesus allows their faith to be tempted, or tested
again. The only difference is, Jesus is not physically with them, so they
think. I'm sure that Jesus was hoping that they had learned their lesson and
this time they would be able to remain calm. Unfortunately, just as the feeding of
the 5,000 was a similar test to being sent out into the villages, a test which
the disciples failed, this is another repeat with similar results. That is,
similar results, except for Peter.
I don't know why all three accounts do not mention Peter. If
Mark's gospel truly is told from Peter's perspective, then, perhaps Peter was
being modest, just as in John's gospel, rather than mentioning himself by name,
John refers to himself as, "the one Jesus loved." What is
significant, however, is that Matthew makes sure that Peter's act of faith is
recorded.
Before meeting Jesus, Matthew, the tax collector, and Peter,
the fisherman, would have probably considered each other enemies. Matthew would
have been one of those agents of Rome who made sure that Peter paid his taxes
on whatever he caught and sold. Now, however, as one of the disciples who sat
and watched, Matthew witnessed Peter step out of the boat and walk toward
Jesus. Matthew makes sure that Peter's faith in action is not forgotten.
Later on, in the gospel of John, Jesus will say that His
sheep know His voice. His voice was all Peter needed to dare to draw closer.
Jesus is often assumed to have rebuked Peter when he
faltered on the water. "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
(Matt. 14:31) I don't necessarily see this statement as a rebuke, especially
since earlier, Jesus had talked about faith as little as a mustard seed being
able to do great things. I hear Jesus words more like a loving parent, watching
their child learn to walk, scooping them up when the child falls and saying,
"You fell down!" I believe that Jesus appreciated Peter's attempt to
get closer to Him, and in truth, Peter drew closer to Jesus that night than any
of those who stayed in the boat.
I'm sure that Jesus would have been thrilled if all twelve
had climbed out of the boat, in faith. Humbly, however, when he gets into the
boat, he says nothing to those who stayed behind. Sadly, I wonder how often I
would be categorized as one of those who stayed behind. What we who like to
play it safe need to remember is that things are not always as they appear. Of
the twelve, standing next to Jesus, on the water, outside the boat, Peter was the safest of all of them. That
is a good lesson for life. As dangerous or uncertain as circumstances may
appear, we are safest standing next to Jesus instead of clinging to "the boat," what we see
as our known securities.
"But my eyes are fixed on You, O Sovereign Lord; in You
I take refuge. Do not give me over to death. Keep me from the snares they have
laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers. Let the wicked fall into their
own nets, while I pass by in safety."
Psalm 141:8-10
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