Nineteenth Ordinary

Matthew 14: 32 – 33

Jesus said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?” They both climbed into the boat, the disciples having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying, “This is it! You are God’s Son for sure!”

When the wind picked up, Peter stopped looking at Jesus and started looking at the waves. Fear became louder than trust. It is a moment that feels surprisingly familiar in a school.

There are days when the waves seem endless. The student who is struggling. The difficult conversation. The overflowing inbox. The pressure to do more with less. It is easy to become so focused on everything around us that we lose sight of why we stepped into education in the first place.

Jesus does not criticise Peter for getting out of the boat. Peter had the courage to step into something impossible. It was only when fear took over that he began to sink. Even then, Jesus reached out immediately.

Perhaps that is the invitation for us this week. Courage is not about never feeling overwhelmed. It is about refusing to let fear have the final word. Every act of patience, every moment of encouragement, every quiet decision to keep showing up for young people is another step across the water.

The storms will come. They always do. But they do not define us. The presence of Christ in the middle of them does.

Maybe the question for today is not, “How big are the waves?” but, “Where is my focus?” Sometimes the smallest shift in perspective is enough to help us stand again.