Is your faith little?

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

One way to dive deeper into our Gospel today (Matthew 14:22-33) is to consider how Jesus might have asked that question to Peter. Did Jesus take an accusing tone, rebuking Peter and expressing his disappointment at the same time?

We push this aside for a moment and ask another question: Was Peter’s faith “little”? You might say, “Well, that’s the way Jesus characterized it, so Peter’s faith must have been little.” But was it?

In a boat being tossed about by waves, the disciples heard Jesus speak to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter responded, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” To take a risk and reach out to someone who may or may not be a ghost while winds are howling all around you is already a sign of faith. You might counter, “But the clause ‘if it is you’ betrays uncertainty. Peter’s faith was little.”

I would argue, however, that the better words with which to describe Peter’s faith at this point are humble and mature. “If it is you” admits that it is possible to be mistaken—what you think is God may not be God at all. We need to pause and discern instead of jumping impulsively.

Two weeks ago, Jesus told us the parable of the merchant searching for the pearl of great price. In modern times, not every pearl is born of the sea. Some pearls are cultured, coaxed into being by human hands. Others are mere imitations, plastic and even hollow. In our own lives, some of us end up selling all that we have for pursuits that are mere illusions fashioned by us: plastic and hollow. Before buying into a dream, we have to stop and pray, “Is this from you, Lord?” And if we sense his presence, then comes the deeper prayer: “If it is you, Lord.” That “if” is the most important factor that must guide our decisions.

Was Peter’s faith “little”? You might remember that last week, Peter witnessed Jesus feeding the multitude from five loaves and two fish. Shouldn’t Peter’s faith have already been strengthened by this miracle? You might also point out how, after Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, the strong wind frightened him and he began to sink, even though right in front of him was Jesus standing on the sea.

But I want to remind you that Peter still got out of the boat and faced the strong wind. He still was able to walk on water for a few steps and answer Jesus’ call, “Come.”

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

I think that when Jesus caught the frightened, sinking Peter and said these words to him, our Lord was not about to slap Peter. Jesus was already hugging him. While the use of the word “little” does challenge Peter, I feel that Jesus does this to encourage. In my imagination, our Lord continues to comfort his first disciple, “Yes, your faith still has much room to grow, but do not underestimate the little. Remember the tiny mustard seed that becomes the largest of plants. Remember the small amount of food—five loaves and two fish—that was able to feed more than five thousand. Remember the little broken fragments of food that were gathered and still filled twelve wicker baskets.”

Peter’s “little” faith, while it caused him to be distracted by the wind and sink, also made him cry out to Jesus. Here is something strange: When Peter shouted, “Lord, save me,” Jesus stretched out his hand and already caught Peter. Jesus was actually within arm’s length! Jesus was, in reality, quite near. In our daily lives, too, we must remind ourselves that Jesus is always near. Why is he constantly with us? Because he knows that we have little faith. And because he is near and with us, our little faith can grow bigger.

Maybe because of the wind and the waves and the weather we have been having of late, the background music I have in my head for this Gospel scene is Taylor Swift singing the bridge of “Opalite.”

“This is just a storm inside a teacup”—and no matter how big the storm in your life right now is, God’s embrace is bigger. Through thick and thin, he faithfully invites, “Shelter here with me, my love.” It may “thunder like a drum,” and this life may “beat you up, up, up, up.” But “this is just a temporary speedbump.” Hear God assure you, “Failure can bring you freedom; your little faith can lead you closer to me. And I can bring you love, love, love….”

So don’t you sweat it, baby. It’s all right. You will be dancing through lightning strikes. While you may be sleepless in the onyx night (like the disciples were in the boat), soon, the sky will be opalite.  

Your prayer assignment this week:

Try to answer this question: Is your faith little?

Watch how The Chosen interprets our Gospel today: 

One brilliant touch is how the writers and producers of this series present two storms: the physical one and a metaphorical one happening within Simon. At the 3:34 mark, Jesus asks Simon why he is upset. Simon answers that it is because Jesus is chasing after Gentiles while his own people are still dealing with their problems. The internal storm battering Simon is the new direction of Jesus’ ministry. It is that which tosses his boat and keeps him in the boat.

What storms are preventing you from stepping out and trying something new? Maybe these storms are what reveal your little faith. But do not be discouraged. Imagine Jesus telling you, “Let your little faith make you cry out for help.”

When Jesus rescues Simon from drowning, Simon cries like a little boy, “Please don’t let me go.” The only word that I have to describe Simon at this point is: sniveling. But it is not pathetic. His little faith makes him cling to God even more. Imagine yourself as Simon and Jesus telling you, “Let your little faith embrace me tighter.”