Friday Scripture: Matthew 14
A Bunch of Guys
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Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him while he dismissed the crowd, then he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.
Later that night the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“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.”
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I have a theory that if you have a room full of people--brilliant people--with an average IQ of 160--then divide that by the number of guys present, you get the functioning IQ of the group.
That means the average IQ of a football team would be about 6.
Roughly the same as a bag of rocks.
That explains a lot of committee decisions.
It also explains why a group of guys, sooner or later, will have someone say, "Hold my beer and watch this."
If you've ever been part of a group of guys--a sports team, a rock and roll band, or a congressional subcommittee--then you know that guys LOVE to talk smack and mess with each other.
I've heard a lot of preachers and theologians analyze this text but it took a stand-up comedian to point out something kinda obvious.
This was a bunch of guys traveling together for at least three years.
They saw some amazing stuff and picked up some amazing heavenly insights.
But along the way, they had to be talking some smack.
"Oooh Thaddeus, man! Don't take your shoes off by the fire! Those are some of the nastiest feet I ever saw! Put those shoes back on!!!"
Yes, they were hand picked by Jesus, but sometimes they could be kinda dense.
(See my group IQ theory above.)
They were still a bunch of guys.
So there are some powerful insights here about the power of prayer, the power of Christ, versus the power of fear and doubt.
But my comedian friend said--
"Don't you know Jesus also had to be giggling a little when he was walking up on them? If he knew all things, then he had to know this was gonna scare the bergeezus out of them. Somewhere on that walk on the lake Jesus had to be saying, 'Hee hee hee! Watch this! I'm gonna mess with their minds!'"
That makes so much sense to me.
Every time I make plans for my life, Jesus giggles a little.
When I make predictions, Jesus laughs out loud.
And sometimes I'm convinced, when I get a little too big for my britches, Jesus slaps an archangel on the back and says,
"Watch this! I'm gonna MESS with him!"
In our Covid world, the deeper message of this story is still important.
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Don't let fear and doubt make you sink in despair.
And if you do despair, trust Jesus to rescue you.
But keep your sense of humor.
Don't forget to laugh at yourself.
Remember God has a great sense of humor.
And the evidence of that is looking at you in the mirror.
As we travel together, that might be the deepest message of all.
Oh yeah...
And put your shoes back on.
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Lord, when I am scared teach me to trust you,
To laugh at the storm,
And at myself.