Last night at church we watched a Nooma video titled Dust. It was one I had seen before but not recently. Rob Bell starts by describing the scene where Peter jumps out of the boat and walks on the water towards Jesus.
He takes a tangent to the story and begins to talk about what it meant to be a disciple of a Rabbi. Rabbis would choose only the best of the best and tell them to "Come, follow me." They wanted someone who was able to do everything that they did. So when Jesus called his disciples and told them to come follow him, they weren't the best of the best. They didn't already have a Rabbi to follow. But Jesus called them because he had faith in them that they could do what he did.
So when Peter sees Jesus on the water, he wants to do what his Rabbi is doing and jumps out of the boat and walks towards Jesus. The gospel of Matthew says that when Peter saw the wind and the waves, he was afraid and began to sink. Jesus reaches out immediately and pulls him up. "You of little faith", he said, "why did you doubt?" What was interesting to me is that Peter isn't doubting Jesus - he starts to doubt himself. Rob said that Jesus called the 12 disciples because he had faith in them that they could do what he did. That not only should we have faith in Jesus, but that he has faith in us.
That is difficult for me to grasp. We keep talking in church about the testing of our faith that it might be proven genuine. (1 Peter 1:7) Here's my question: what if you're tested and you fail and your faith isn't proven genuine but a fraud? What then? How do you move on from that?
7 comments:
So, staying with tradition... I will answer your question with a question. (2)
Do you think that if we are tested and we fail we are a fraud? Or do you think that in failing it just proves that we are human?
If you think about it, the test of Peter's faith wasnt just about getting out of the boat. The test of his faith continued in the walking on the water and ignoring the waves...which, as you know, Peter failed miserably.
Jesus' response to Peter wasn't, "Great job, you had enough faith to get out of the boat." Instead, Peter gets something like "Oh ye of little faith."
In Peter's case, at least while Jesus was alive, he failed these faith tests more often than not - and yet Jesus said of Peter, "On this rock I will build my church."
Falling does not prove your faith to be a fraud. Pretending that you never fall proves your faith to be a fraud, as does refusing to take Jesus' hand and let him lift you back up when you do fall. Faith - true faith - is about letting God have our deepest self, our most wounded self as Henri Nouwen might say...
Hmmm, well, now I understand how annoying it is when someone won't answer your question but simply asks another question. ;-) Maybe I'll stop doing that... Keith!
I guess I just feel like I've failed and actually hurt someone that I was trying to help. And that now God has removed me from the situation so I can't do any more damage. My stupid pride is really whats wrong with me. And my independence. I want to fix things and make it right on my own. Hmmm, which is what got me into this mess in the first place! I don't know what to do with myself. I need to learn some humility and 'let go and let God.'
One thing that is really hard for me to accept is that not everyone wants to be helped. Maybe it is not that God removed you from the situation so that you would not cause anymore damage, but instead so that no more damage would be caused to you.
How incredible to think that God loves you so much that He would go to such lengths to rescue you from a situation that was hurting you.
If it is that God was testing you in this situation, than I think you passed.
To fail would have been to ignore God.
To fail would have been to say, "No, I don't need you to get me out of this situation I can do it on my own."
To fail would have been to know God's plan for you and then to willingly let you pride and your need to see YOUR will done in this person's life keep you in a loosing situation.
When we do feel like we fail and fall back on God, it is such an amazing opportuinty for Him to show is greatness not only to us, but as a witness to others.
Love ya!!!!!
Well, usually I disagree with Joe, but this time he is right on. I read his post while I was eating lunch at The Devils Chicken House (Chick-fil-A) and I actually found myself saying "Yes!, Exactly!" outloud. All I have to say is listen to Joe and Heather.
And btw(I used that for you) Heather, I am offended that you would join in Emily's God conversation and not mine. I'm Hurt. TTFN? <- I forgot what that means Heather.
Thanks, Keith! Btw, TTFN means 'ta ta for now' - for those of us in the know. Right, Heather? :-)
I miss debating God stuff with you all. Between missing Sunday School and Lenny's, things are quite different out here. But I'm adjusting. Obviously slowly but I'm at least trying now. :-)
Love you all!
All I have to say is I LOVE Rob Bell!!! I have to miss my Rob Bell Nooma video bible study tomorrow and I'm sad...
Oh and on a side note I'm re-watching Alias...I'm in the middle of season 3...and it makes me think of you....too bad we can't watch it together...
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