Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Jesus wasn't afraid of getting out of the boat. He charted his own course and only got back in the boat if it was convenient for him. When Peter wanted to get out of the boat, Jesus said "come." He didn't care that Peter was in or out of the boat, only that he was learning and growing. When Peter started to sink into the depths, Jesus didn't say "I warned you it was dangerous out here; you should have stayed in the boat." Instead, Jesus took him by the hand and helped him navigate the rough seas. If anything, he reprimanded him for not having the faith to navigate life outside the boat on his own. They only got back into the boat when it was convenient. Peter left the boat and learned how to rely on the Lord in ways his companions never did because they stayed in the boat.
The Jesus of the bible wanted us to love God and love our neighbors. He encourages us to leave what is comfortable, when we are ready, and try something new, so we can grow. If we sit in the boat our whole lives, then we miss out on things that could bring us greater joy, deeper connections and a more authentic relationship with God. Some might think that staying in the boat is what God commanded, or that things people do outside of the boat are going against God's will. Jesus said that the great commandments are to love God with all your heart, might and mind and love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30-31).
If you really love someone, and if they really love you, is that relationship based on conditions? Do you really feel love for someone that gives you a list of things you have to do or things you can't do? Do you have real relationships with someone like that, or is that just a relationship that causes constant fear? Fear of not being good enough or doing enough or fear of doing the wrong things? A relationship like that stunts your growth because you don't try new things because you are afraid.
You develop your strongest relationships with the people who love you unconditionally and who encourage you to be your best self. God loves us unconditionally, he wants us to be our best selves, and we can only find out who we really are and become our best selves by getting out of the boat and walking through the rough seas while reaching for Jesus' hand only when our faith starts to fail us.
Compare those thoughts with this, "Brothers and sisters, stay in the boat, use your life jackets, and hold on with both hands. Avoid distractions! And if any one of you have fallen out of the boat, we will seek you, find you, minister to you, and pull you safely back onto the Old Ship Zion" - Russel Ballard
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments will be published unless they reveal personal identifying information about the commenter or the author.