A little water won’t hurt

It’s always interesting to see how informal groups quickly fall behind a person.  There’s always somebody that has the magnetism and the drive that others recognize. Every group needs a leader, otherwise it will quickly fall apart.


The ragtag group called “the disciples” were obviously led by Peter. Full of vim, vigor and bluster he seemd to be the first one to make the leap. He wanted to show the world that he was a true believer.


He stood in the courtyards and tried to keep the mobs from trampling his Lord. Running the security detail, he was the one who pulled the sword in the Garden. When times got tough, he rallied the troops. He was the muscle behind the message. 

So it’s no surprise that he was the first one out of the boat.


Oh. The boat. The one that Jesus sent to the other side and a storm kicked, threatening to capsize the boat. And then suddenly, walking on the water, He appeared. The disciples were relieved and simultaneously scared out of their wits.

Not Peter. “Let me walk,” he said. “I can do this.”

He actually did — but then, the reality of the situation gripped him. There’s no ground, nothing solid to stand on. He realized that he wasn’t supposed to do this and he began to sink.

And I think that was a good thing. It still is. So what if you sink. So what if your nostrils fill with water and you push up with all your flailing strength just to get a gasp of air. So what if you feel like this time, it’s the end.

Photo by  Whitney Thorne

What if we didnt know where our next meal would come from, if we would have another hour, if we couldn’t be sure of the next breath. Utter reliance isn’t such a bad thing.

We could all stand to lose something, in order to gain everything.

I’m not afraid to sink, and I won’t drown.


Also read Larry Hehn’s, “No Pain, No Gain”