In 1969, Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull wrote a book called the "Peter Principle" which said, "In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence." It became a popular book and concept. Jesus presented another and more important "Peter Principle" in Matthew 14:28-3. It did not have to do with competency, but with faith. We read there: "And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

The principle which our Lord taught us is the certainty that He is able to uphold us as long as we trust in Him alone. Peter did walk on the water as long as his trust was in the Lord.

I'm not contending that we all try out "water walking", since Jesus has not told us to. But, what I am suggesting is that the Christian life of faith, trust, and certainty is, in effect, like a spiritual walking on water. Our life often gets filled with fear of things and uncertainty of the future. When the waters are relatively calm, we walk on water by faith. When trouble comes we become afraid and begin to sink because we take our eyes off of Jesus.

Jesus describes that sinking feeling as doubt caused by a weak faith. Christians make a big mistake when they try to solve the matter of doubt and weakness of faith apart from Jesus. Faith has to do with things that have been accomplished by God for us in the past, and it has to do with the future ("Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."- Heb. 11:1). Our faith is based on what has been accomplished for us already in the past, so that the future is secured in the promises of the Gospel. We may think that our problem with doubt is not usually that we doubt what Jesus has finished for us. We may think that our weakness arises only in regard to the future. Yet, these two areas are welded together. The future depends on our trust in the finished work of Christ (see Rom. 8:31-39).

Our "sinking" is realized in a number of ways. The problems of life can look like enormous waves ready to destroy us. For a time the waves might appear bigger than our Lord. Depression, fear, doubt, and worry are all symptoms of sinking. These emotions will all enter into our minds at some time or other. Situations in the world or in church sometimes cause us to focus more on the problem than on the solution. And Jesus would say to us, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" "Little faith" is manifested by fear and doubt.

Sadly, we do not always seek the right solution to these problems. Science, medicine, philosophy, etc. are not going to solve the matter of a lack of certainty. Sometimes we put faith in faith. Faith does not save us per se, but the object of our faith saves. The creaturely problems we face are not corrected by turning to other creatures. It is the Creator alone that sustains us and calms the sea.

What did Peter do? His faith was weak, but he had not lost his faith. His faith needed strengthening. He did what we all must do-he cried out to Jesus, "Lord, save me!" This is the Peter principle taught in the Bible.

The simple fact that the Lord reaches out His hand and upholds us should not cause us to question our faith. It should reinforce it. The Lord intends to teach us and strengthen our faith through each adversity. Each time the Lord lifts us up again, it restores our certainty in His faithfulness, mercy, love, and power.

I am struck by the fact that the question of faith must be answered by the presence and power of the Lord Himself. We may find ourselves asking whether the teachings of the Bible on this or that are true. We should be asking, "Is Jesus the Truth?" If we can say yes to that, then all the promises of Scripture are true also. Notice where the Apostle Paul's trust lies when he says in 2 Tim. 1:12, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." What we believe can only be explained and lived if we know whom we have believed. And that alone must be Jesus, the eternal Son of God.

The "Peter Principle" that we should gain from this powerful episode in Peter's life is not that all men sink with little faith at one time or another, true as that is. The important principle which we must learn well is to whom we turn at such times-"Lord, save me!

Our Lord will hear us and stretch forth His hand and catch us ... every time.