Let Them Watch

We always talk about Peter "stepping out on faith" to walk towards Jesus on the sea.

Pastor Dr. Dharius Daniels preached at Elevation Church a little while ago about being "Number 12." (I'll post that sermon on the bottom of this.)

A perspective I'd like to give y'all is from another perspective.

Aren't we so blessed to have a scripture like what we begin to read in Matthew 14:22. Where we find Jesus telling the disciples to go on the boat while He goes to pray. After setting sail, they are surprised to see their Friend walking on water in front of them.

So many preachers teach about this. You'd think after about 2,000 years we'd be maxed out on this story. But here I am. :) With another perspective.

Walk with me through this story. We always focus on Peter's faith in this story. Some even focus on his doubt, which later causes him to drown once he gets close to Jesus. (Matthew 14:30). Something I don't think gets touched on enough in this story is how Peter didn't let the lack of voluntary action of his peers keep him from experiencing Jesus on another level.

In that moment, when Peter asked, "Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water." (Matthew 14:28). Notice Peter did not say, "Lord if it's you, let us come."

Sometimes what we need, in order to have God come through for what we are asking is selfish faith. Peter did not give a good gosh darn about the other eleven in his request. He wanted God to show him.

And that's okay.

Everybody is not going to go with you, for what you want from God.

This lack of joint venture didn't make the disciples any less Peter's friend. It also didn't make Peter any better than the other eleven. Well.. except maybe Judas... but I digress. :)

Peter went on to experience many other miracles of Jesus with the disciples. But this moment in biblical history was between Jesus and Peter. And that may be something they were all okay with. Imagine if Peter did say, "Lord, if it's you, let us come to you"

If Peter's request of God was based on the participation of all twelve disciples, maybe no one would have been part of that miracle. We would only know Jesus as being able to walk on water while all of His disciples watched. We would only know the fear of twelve men, instead of the faith of one.

I'm super guilty of being frustrated because I hear God pulling me to do something, or I've asked God to come through for me. When I tell my friends about it, waiting for a cosign, I experience the Chrissy Teigen face of "nah, sis" in response. (See below)

I end up stagnant in my calling because I don't have a tribe going with me. And I'm fairly confident I've forfeited many a blessing because of it.

When we look at Peter in that moment, we see him so focused on God in front of him that he almost spaces out to those around him. Theses moments of focused or selfish faith are what we need. Not just for ourselves, but for those around us. The funny thing is, the Gospel of Mark was written on behalf of Peter. There, we see no mention of Peter bringing up this miracle.

Scholars have said Peter"left this out" because he was embarrassed of drowning. (As someone in my early 30s who still can't swim, I feel you big bro). But it's so interesting that Matthew, who was one of the eleven who chose not to walk towards God, who saw the faith and the fall, still felt inspired to note this in his accounts of Christ.

Of Christ.

This story, from Peter's perspective was a remembrance of his own failures. But from the eyes of Matthew, it was testament of a partnership with Christ. He watched, and he told others. He told us.

Because Peter decided to go on his own, we are today inspired to do the same.

Please know, your story of faith will always outweigh your fall. Even if you don't feel that way.

Someone else still may need to see your steps of faith. Especially the ones that didn't turn out the way you hoped.

Step out towards God. It's okay if you do it alone.

Let them watch.