A Beautifully Noble Failure

Matthew 14:22-33
Gospel Reading for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (Year A)

This is one of those weeks where I’ve written about five different versions of this post. I even recorded a rambling stream of conscious reflection while I drove home from getting lunch yesterday and almost published that. I’m not in writer’s block territory, but I’m driving through the neighborhood.

So let’s keep it simple.

Walking on water shouldn’t be possible. Anytime I was at the pool as a kid, I would hover my foot above water wondering if I could somehow catch something solid. But you go right through. Every single time. So say what you want about Peter, but that moment when he steps out onto the sea are one of the most inspiringly fearless moments in human history.

Or it could’ve been one of the most stupid moments. But honestly the margin between fearless and stupid is as thin as the water’s surface. And, yes, Peter got distracted. And, yes, he started to sink. But he hopped onto the waves when no one else would. There is something beautifully noble about this particular failure.

I think that is why I am so attracted to this story. What is following Jesus but a series of (hopefully) noble failures. There are days—and 2020 seems to have a lot of them—when trying to walk in the steps of Christ is like walking on water. Loving enemies, standing up for others, pursuing justice, and choosing humility sometimes seems like it shouldn’t be possible.

And yet if we take that fearless and/or stupid leap of faith out of the boat, we might find ourselves hitting something solid by the grace of God. We will undoubtedly get distracted and find ourselves sinking beneath the waves. It happens to every single one of us. But that moment when we actually walk in the footsteps of Jesus? When we’re actually living like him? It’s like electricity flying through your veins.

The encouraging coda—despite the whole “you of little faith” burn—is that Jesus is there to pick us up when we begin to sink. There’s grace so that we can live to venture another noble failure. Maybe the next one lasts a little bit longer. Maybe like a child, our walks on the sea start with stumbles and falls before it turns into a stride.

So get out of the boat. Try to follow Jesus the best that you can. Muster up the courage you can. You will stumble and you will fall. But there is something good in the trying. And God will lift you up so that you may try again.