"Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, 'You of little faith, why did you doubt?'" - Matthew 14:31
Peter does something bold here. He sees Jesus walking on the water, and instead of staying safely in the boat with the others, he asks to come too. "Command me to come to you on the water." And Jesus says, simply, "Come."
For a few steps, it works. Peter walks on the water. He doesn't panic at the first gust or call for help the moment things get uncertain. He is actually out there, walking. It is only when he notices the wind, really notices it, that fear takes over, and he starts to sink.
There is a balance in this story that is easy to miss. Peter is not rebuked for getting out of the boat, and he is not praised for staying quiet while he drowns. The moment that matters is the one where he knows the difference It is when his steady footing turns into real danger, and he calls for help instead of pretending he's fine. "Lord, save me" is not a failure to cope. It is Peter realizing his dangerous situation accurately and saying so.
That is the harder skill, maybe: not crying out at every gust of wind, but not staying silent once you're actually sinking either. Jesus doesn't wait for Peter to prove himself worthy of rescue. But Peter still had to be the one to ask.
A question to carry this week: Where are you walking steadily right now, and where/when does the wind pick up enough that it is time to say so?
Peace, Pastor Erin
