faith in...

Rob Bell is an insightful guy. A pastor, author, and believer in Jesus, he grapples with the simple things of being a Christian. Or not so simple. Like following Christ. Today I reread the part in Velvet Elvis where he explains what it means to be a disciple. A disciple was a person who not just followed the path, but tried to walk in the exact footsteps of the rabbi. What Jesus did the disciples wanted to mimic, exactly. Bell points out that when Peter left the boat to walk on water, he did so because Jesus was walking on water. But unlike Jesus, Peter started sinking. Why? It wasn’t what Jesus was doing. It wasn’t because Peter lost faith in the fact that Jesus was walking on water. Bell asserts that Peter sank due to lack of faith in himself.

Is it too impossible to imagine that God has confidence in us? Yeah, he gives us cool talents and gifts of speech, wisdom, and interpersonal skills. We often show them off. And then we also show off our stupid, less refined and less thoughtful side, which often causes trouble. But God knows that about us. And he still loves us and gives each of us a legitimate purpose. He believes in each of us.

When Jesus came to earth he did not try to “Avatar” the planet, making everyone into him. He instead dwelt, moseyed, slept, wept, did life with us. As a rabbi he saw our potential and gave us tools, methods, encouragement to live out that potential. Jewish rabbis looked for the best of the best because to know the Jewish scriptures inside and out, that’s what it took. For Jesus, however, he enlisted the good and the bad in order that they might become the best, just as Jesus was.

In many ways today, God reminded me that he has hope in each of his children. If he has hope, then we had better not give up. Struggles, obstacles, disappointments and inaccurate messages bombard us with doubt. Jesus wants us to have faith, both in his plan AND in ourselves.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Tim. 1: 7