Re:Verse passage – Matthew 14:22-33 (day four)
For Peter, it was the wind and the waves. They distracted his eyes and he quit looking at Jesus and looked at the wind and waves. He gets an A+ for enthusiasm and he gets an A+ for faith to get out of the boat, but he got distracted. When you are ‘walking on water’ and you begin ‘not walking on water’, you realize it very quickly. At least Peter knew who to turn to in his wet emergency!
What about you? What is it that distracts you from looking at and trusting Jesus? Is it self-reliance, or pride, or practical thinking, or just plain impatience? Have you ever jumped out of the boat and then realized later that things are out of your control? Jesus had given Peter the command to come, but have you jumped out on your own initiative without consulting the Lord? Learning to move at Jesus’ command and learning to focus solely and completely on Him is a mark of mature discipleship. It’s also a lesson we have to learn over and over!
Best take on this scripture that I have read! I often hear too much criticism of Peter because he took his eyes off of Jesus.