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Wednesday September 21, 2016

 

In the late 1980’s, Morton Downey Jr. was the most famous talk show television host in the United States. He was considered the father of trash talk television; one of his most recognizable trademarks was that he smoked cigarettes on his show and made no apologies for it. He was heavily criticized for doing this, but he never backed down, on the contrary, he always responded by saying that he would smoke until the day he died. That is, until he was diagnosed with lung cancer, then everything changed. In 1996, he kicked his habit and became an anti-tobacco spokesperson.

 

Why is it that people start to exercise only when the doctor tells them they have a heart condition? Moreover, why do people start to eat healthily only when they are told their cholesterol is dangerously high? Others start managing their money wisely when their house is about to be repossessed and others ignore their marriages until their spouse threatens them with a divorce. Here is the problem; people are only willing to change when the price for not changing is higher than the price for staying the same. The same is true concerning maturing faith; we know we need to change, but we are not willing to do so until we are drowning.

 

The Apostle Peter and the disciples, found themselves in the middle of a fierce storm that threatened to sink their boat. They felt hopeless as they fought all night, the winds refusing to die down. Then suddenly, Jesus appeared to them walking on the waters. They thought at first that it was a ghost, but Jesus assured them that He was no ghost.

 

Matthew 14: 28-32 NIV

“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.”

 

Lessons from the storm:

You will never mature in your faith, until the price you pay for not changing, is higher than the price you will pay for staying the same.

 

For Peter, the question was, stay on the boat and more than likely drown, or take a leap of faith and walk towards Jesus? Perhaps Peter figured he was going to die anyway and decided to jump out of the boat and take his chance. When Peter did this and began to sink, Jesus stretched out His hand, pulled him out, and said: “You   of little faith.” Following this experience, do you think Peter grew in his faith or did he stay the same? The answer is obvious, just look at how the disciples responded: Then those who were in the boat worshipped Him, saying, “Truly you are the son of God.”