O You of Little Faith

We all know the story; Jesus has just fed more than five thousand people. He sends the disciples ahead of him across the lake while he talked to his father. While the disciples are in a boat in the middle of the lake, a wind violent comes up and the boat is taking a beating. The disciples are fighting the wind and waves and suddenly, there is Jesus walking to them on the water. Jesus speaks to the terrified disciples. Impulsive Peter gets out of the boat and starts walking on the water to Jesus. While on the water, Peter suddenly has a reality check and remembers that people can’t walk on water. Looking around at the wind and waves, he starts to sink. Jesus reaches out and lifts him out of the water. Then Jesus, says, “You of little faith,”, “why did you doubt?”

I love this narrative, but I have often wondered at Jesus response to Peter. You of little faith,”, “why did you doubt? This is not the only time that Jesus says this. Jesus uses this phrase five different times in the book of Matthew. We know that Jesus would not belittle or discourage the disciples. So, possibly, I need to rethink what Jesus intended. We know that Jesus is a good father who would encourage his child. Perhaps this phrase was intended to encourage in the same way a father would encourage a child learning to walk or stand. Maybe He was saying, “You have a little faith.” Remember, the same God who said, “You of little faith,”, “why did you doubt? Also said, “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed,”. Mustard seeds are very small. So, while he was saying, “You of little faith,” he was also saying you have faith.

That is encouraging! I, like Peter, sometimes have only have a little faith. When that happens, I can take heart, I only need a little faith. If you feel like you have little faith, it’s ok. You only need a little faith. God knows that sometimes our faith is small, We don’t have to have truckloads of faith, sometimes we only need a little faith and that little seed of faith if planted will grow and move mountains.

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