be-musings

At church a couple weeks ago, Scott talked about Peter getting out of the boat and walking on the water to see Jesus. I've heard this illustration expounded on many times. Usually it starts as such a grand story of the belief and faith of one man. Then in sermons it often turn to theorizing about why Peter sank after he had so successfully walked a miracle. After he had walked where Jesus had.
It's easy to observe or speculate that Peter took his eyes off Jesus and onto his own precarious situation. It's easy to speculate that Peter freaked out at defying the laws of nature and that it affected what happened next. It's easy to speculate that he didn't have the faith it took to go all the way.
Scott pointed out that when Peter was on the water, there were 11 others in the boat. 11 others who probably had an opinion about what the crazy guy was doing. Had an opinion about what he should or shouldn't do next. It's enough numbers for a small moral majority, church board, or management meeting. A boat of advisors, and not doers. I see myself in that boat.
When I'm afraid to try something I can so easily inspect it from different angles. Ask the opinions of others. Stall by focusing on something else that I justify as having priority while still pontificating and contemplating that which really is demanding my attention and my nervousness. I can be full of ideas, advice, opinions. I can advise on where Peter should put his foot next, but not clear the sides of the boat myself. I become one of the people participating in the theorizing rather than stepping out and leading where we...I...should go.
Where are you? Are you a boat-sitter too? Maybe we should rock it. Maybe God needs to tip us over (oh gad, not again) so that we spill out and have to make a choice.
Why do I say "us"? Maybe I should take my place beside Peter, whether I fall through or whether I walk all the way to Jesus. It's crowded in the boat anyways.