Wave Walking

Matthew 14:29-31

“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

We often read this story of Peter walking on the water as a rebuke of Peter for not having enough faith. We often rebuke ourselves for not having enough faith, but is that what’s really going on here? The Greek here for “little faith” is oligopistos. It’s a combination of two words that mean “small amount” and “faith.” It makes sense that it would be translated as “little faith,” then. But there’s something interesting about this word. It doesn’t exist outside the New Testament, and it doesn’t exist outside of Jesus talking to His disciples.

Of all the people in the New Testament stories, you’d think the disciples would have had faith. After all, they literally ate, drank, slept, and walked everywhere with Jesus. They listened to His teachings. They got insider interpretations of His parables. They witnessed nearly all of His miracles. They knew Jesus. Peter even identified Jesus as the Christ. So how could they not have enough faith?

Well, it turns out this word is used in very specific circumstances. It seems to be used in moments of crisis. So a better understanding would be that this is a faith that crumbles under pressure. It’s a faith that gives out in the midst of crisis. It’s a faith that’s short-lived. Let’s be honest, Peter had faith. It took a large amount of faith to step out of that boat and onto those waves. As long as Peter was focused on Jesus, he walked on water. He. walked. on. water. Did you catch that?

But look what happened. Peter took his eyes off Jesus. Instead of focusing on who Jesus was and what Jesus said, Peter started focusing on his surroundings. He started looking at the waves and feeling the wind. He started to doubt. So in the moment of crisis out there walking on water, Peter’s faith crumbled, and he began to sink. Look at how Jesus responds. He immediately (the Greek word here means instantaneously; without hesitation) reaches out, catches hold of Peter, and hold onto him until they are both in the boat.

Then Jesus says, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Do you hear a rebuke in Jesus voice? I don’t. I hear Jesus saying to Peter, “Peter, you know who I am. You know what I can do. Why did you let your eyes wander? Why did you allow doubt to steal the power of your faith?” This is how the Message translation puts it: “Faint-heart, what got into you?” I really like that.

You see we can spend our whole life trying to get more faith–searching for a larger amount or thinking that we don’t have enough–when the problem isn’t our faith, it’s our doubt. If you think of faith and doubt as opposite sides of a teeter-totter, you can see how either side can overpower the other. When we keep our focus on Jesus, on who He is, and on what He says, our faith overpowers our doubt, even in a time of crisis. When we take our eyes of Jesus, doubt wins and our faith gives out. It’s not that we don’t have enough faith, it’s that our faith isn’t as long-lasting as it should be.

Father, I thank you that you have given to each one of us a measure of faith. I thank you that as long as I keep my eyes firmly fixed on you, faith wins. I know that if I focus on who you are and what you’ve said, my faith will last through whatever storm or crisis I am in. I only get in trouble when I give place to doubt and take my eyes off you. Help me to keep my focus on you in the midst of crisis, Lord. Give me a long-lasting, enduring faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.