Faith over Fear
As a first-time parent, it's easy to feel worried all the time, especially when caring for this new life that God has blessed you with, which is completely dependent on you. This unique experience can transform you entirely if you're open to it.
Thoughts about what example you want to set, how to educate them, and so on… are constant reevaluations of your life and attitudes. However, this overwhelming feeling can hide an important detail in the parent-child relationship: it’s not a one-sided relationship; it’s a multilateral relationship.
Yes, you should teach your children about life and the importance of connecting with God through Christ. But they can and will also teach you practical lessons. For example, my son. Right now, he’s only one year old, and once we introduced him to the pool, it became a pivotal moment for him. So small and yet so fearless. I struggled to keep him in my arms inside the pool because he wanted to “swim,” even though he didn’t know the pool was deep and how to swim.
Instead of feeling worried, I was proud. At that moment, he showed me what a leap of faith truly means, inspiring me to have more courage, just like in a particular moment in the life of an Apostle of Jesus.
A Relatable Story
So, let me tell a story of the transforming process that Jesus leads us to. But before I continue, pay attention to three main points in this story:
Be a faithful risk-taker
“Fake it until you make it.”
Yearn for redemption
In a far, far away land called Galilee, there was a group of fishermen who led a faithful and devout life. But on any regular Tuesday, they were facing some hardships in keeping their businesses, until a very important person showed up. “Who?”, you ask.
His name was Jesus, the Divine Master. His presence, actions, and words are so impactful that they made a stubborn and short-tempered old man bend his knees and say (Luke, 5:8): “Depart from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
Instead of listening to this, Christ called and made Simon Peter a fisher of souls. “Why?” Because Jesus saw potential in him and that he was a faithful risk-taker.
That is, Peter does not take risks blindly and unguided, no! He believes in the One that is greater than him and follows His voice, even though Peter himself may not know what will fully happen, but he believes.
4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered Him, “Master, we have worked all night and have caught nothing. But at Your word I will let down the net.”
6 When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was tearing.
(Gospel of Jesus, according to Luke 5:4-6)
Simon's unique qualities transformed him into the Peter he was destined to be. This wasn't an immediate change; the journey for him to become the foundational rock of Jesus's church (Matthew 16:18) was just starting. This illustrates how life's challenges help us reveal our truer selves, guided by Christ.
It's important to remember the term "truer self," not "ideal self," which can be artificial and fabricated. The Beloved Pastor leads His flock, through trials, to understand how both weaknesses and strengths contribute to the manifestation of their true identity as Eternal Spirits.
Human limited perspective
As human beings, we are naturally limited by what we can perceive. We cannot see beyond the horizon of our understanding, yet Christ's knowledge extends infinitely further.
Peter understood this profound truth, so much so that he dared to attempt the seemingly "impossible"(Matthew 14:26-29):
26 But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a spirit.” And they cried out in fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer. It is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is You, bid me come to You on the water.”
29 He said, “Come.” And when Peter got out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.”
What is Peter? That’s right, a faithful risk-taker. Did all his problems disappear after that, and did he never make another mistake? Not at all. Even being with Jesus doesn't erase our individuality. Trials and struggles will continue, and most likely mistakes will happen. Remember, it is a PROCESS.
30 But when he saw the strong wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
(Matthew 14:30-31)
Hypocrisy in Life
Have you ever encountered the expression “Fake it until you make it”?
This phrase suggests that to achieve an ideal life, one must pretend to be a certain person, and then everything will fall into place.
Let's revise this expression. Why? Because it can lead to a life of hypocrisy, forcing individuals to be someone they are not. Ultimately, anything built on such a shaky foundation is bound to crumble. The more accurate and empowering alternative is: “Be it until you make it.”
This means embracing who you are, with all your weaknesses and strengths. Only through this genuine PROCESS can you achieve not an idealized future, but a truthful future blessed by God. Peter serves as an excellent example of this possibility. He wasn't perfect; far from it. Yet, he accepted his imperfections and allowed Jesus to lead his life.
48 He is like a man who built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on rock. When the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, but could not shake it, for it was founded on rock.
Jesus (Luke 6:48)
Peter the Spiritual Rock
That's the essence of being the Rock. Peter, a central figure in this narrative, underwent a continuous spiritual transformation throughout his life, ultimately becoming a spiritual rock. He was able to overcome every trial and struggle because he built his life upon Christ's teachings.
Life's trials, as challenging as they may seem, serve to make us yearn for redemption – to learn from our mistakes and choose not to repeat them.
I believe Peter exemplifies what it means to be a person of value in the modern world. He embodies the essential spiritual PROCESS in Christ that we all need to undergo.
Simon committed one of the greatest sins imaginable: he denied Jesus, the One he loved most, three times. Yet, Christ's mercy is boundless, and He granted Peter the redemption he longed for (John 21:1, 7, 15-19):
1 After this, Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. (...)
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea.
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved, because He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Lord, You know everything. You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
18 Truly, truly I say to you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you desired. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”
19 He said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When He had said this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
Let us learn from Simon Peter’s example, take faithful risks, accept ourselves, and yearn for redemption from our mistakes to become unwavering pillars (Revelation of Jesus 3:12) that conquer the seemingly “impossible”.
