The Story of Little Faith
“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?’” —Matthew 14:29-31
When it comes to size of things, Americans are pretty much in agreement. We think, “Big is better.”
Ask a child if he wants to grow up big or small, and you know what the answer will be.
We like big. We like big houses, big cars, big paychecks, and even big hamburgers. And while it is true that we sometimes have to admit that big is not best—that we don’t always need the bigger sound system, bigger TV, and surely most of us don’t need the Big Mac—we still tend to check out “big” as our first choice.
For once, the bible agrees with our tendency. Food and houses and TVs may not be on the bible’s list. But our God does have some advice to give us when it comes to the size of our faith: “Big is better!” In fact, problems can come with little faith.
Today we look in at a day in the life of the Apostle Peter. It was a day he would never forget. It was one of those days that came right in the middle of so much else going on.
It all started with shocking, terrible news. John the Baptist was dead! Worse yet, he had been murdered. It must have been hard to take in the details that came with the report.
John had been in jail. Now the report came that a dancing girl had asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter—and it had been given to her!
Who could have expected something like this? What sense could one make of it?
When Jesus heard the news, he got into a boat and went off in private to a solitary place. But the crowds would not leave him alone. They followed on foot on the edge of the lake. When Jesus came to shore, there was a large crowd waiting to greet him.
He could not just tell them to leave him in peace. Matthew tells us, “He had compassion on them and healed their sick.” —Matthew 14:14
But the story doesn’t end there. By the time evening is approaching the disciples tell Jesus they are worried that because this is such a remote place the crowds won’t be able to find food. “Send the crowds away,” they tell him, “so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” —Matthew 14:15
Instead, Jesus tells the surprised Peter and the others, “You give them something to eat!” They protest: “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish!” —Matthew 14:17
The disciples had a point. But Jesus had a plan. He would feed this crowd of 15,000 or so people, with that little of bread, and those few fish—and there would be plenty of food left over! —Matthew 14:18-21
This gets a reaction from the crowd. They decide that Jesus should be their king. If need be, they will force him to be! —John 6:14,15
But this is not the plan Jesus had in mind. This he will not permit. He acts quickly to control the situation. The crowd, he disperses. The disciples, he puts into a boat and sends off onto the Sea of Galilee toward the far shore. Then he heads for on a mountain, to finally be by himself to pray.
What a time this has been! The disciples must have been talking about all of this as they headed off in the evening hours across the lake. So much had happened in so short of time!
But it wasn’t over yet.
Storms can come up rapidly on the Sea of Galilee. On this night a very bad storm hit. The disciple’s boat was caught in the middle of the lake, buffeted from side to side by the waves and wind. Even though some of those disciples were experienced sailors, the boat was in danger of sinking.
All night long they fought the storm. They were dead-tired by the time 3:00 AM rolled around—and they were scared to death. And then, in the pre-dawn hours they saw an absolutely startling sight: There in the dark, amidst the howling wind and swirling waters, there was Jesus—walking on top of the water!
Now they were sure they were going to die. We are told, “When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.’” —Matthew 14:26
But some wonderful words came back to them. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” —Matthew 14:27 They recognized the voice. It was Jesus! All was well. They were safe now.
It is at this point that Peter speaks such strong words of faith. In the middle of this storm, after facing the real possibility of death, Peter asks for permission to do the impossible. Peter wants to walk on water!
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
And how did Jesus answer? All he said was: “Come!”
What happened next was as simple as it was amazing. Peter did it! Peter actually walked on top of water!
But then he took his attention off of Jesus. He began to stare at the wind blowing the rain and waves—and he began to sink.
What happened here? What was the problem? Did too big of a wave come along? Did the wind begin to blow too hard?
The problem wasn’t what was happening outside and around Peter. The problem was inside. The problem was faith that was too little.
“Why did you doubt?” Jesus asked as his mighty arm reached to grab him.
Now listen to what St. Matthew tells us next: “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” —Matthew 14:32,33
Can you see the picture in your mind’s eye? Peter is walking on water. Peter wavers. Peter begins to sink. Jesus grabs him to safety—before they get into the boat!
Peter is rescued before he gets into the boat. Peter is safe while standing with Jesus, who is still standing only on water. The impossible is still happening. Only after that do they climb into the boat.
What was the question, again? “Why did you doubt?”
Maybe the real message is: “How foolish to doubt me!”
It wasn’t that Peter had no faith in Jesus. None of the other disciples asked for permission to walk on the water. I wonder if we would have had that kind of faith and confidence in Jesus—especially with the storm still raging all around.
Peter had faith. Some times Peter showed great faith. But his faith at this stage of his life was much like the waves of the Sea of Galilee. Sometimes that faith swelled to great heights—and just as suddenly it would fall down to the depths.
At this point in his life of following Jesus he did not have a faith that could ride through the storms of life without fainting or faltering. On this particular dark night Peter came to see the danger of only “little” faith.
To survive, faith needs to grow. To carry us trough the dark and dangerous storms of life, faith needs to be big and strong.
But most of all, faith needs to be tied to Jesus. Jesus can pull us to safety even when our faith is weak. That’s what happened to Peter.
We look back at that scene once more. What rescued Peter? The hand of Jesus!
What if Peter had placed his faith in anything else: his ability to swim, his own self-confidence, or his own determination? He would have sunk like a rock!
If his faith has stayed large and strong he could have walked all the way to Jesus on top of the water. He could have done the impossible with ease!
The fear of the wind and waves caused his faith to shrink. But the faith was still there. And it was still effective. The faith showed itself with the cry, “Lord, save me!”
That was enough. Because the real power to rescue and save still lies in the Lord alone. Our faith ties us to him.
Centuries ago a Christian thought about this matter and wrote a hymn that contained these words:
Oh, for a faith that will not shrink Though pressed by many a foe,
That will not tremble on the brink of poverty or woe,
That will not murmur nor complain Beneath the chast’ning rod
That in the hour of grief or pain Can lean upon its God.
And then the writer thinks of Peter, and says:
A faith that shines more bright and clear
When tempests rage without,
That when in danger, knows no fear,
In darkness feels no doubt.
The hymn ends with a prayer:
Lord, give us such a faith as this, and then, whate’er may come,
We’ll taste e’en now the hallowed bliss
Of an eternal home.
—Hymn 405 in Christian Worship
Peter could have used a faith like this. So could we.
Let that, then, also be our prayer.
Amen.