The Dust on My Feet

I just got home from a weekend leadership retreat with the LYO in my synod. The retreat was for youth, young adults and adults who serve on ministry teams. These ministry teams get training (at this retreat)and then a part of the youth gatherings. But while I participated with a team, I'm not sure thats why God called me to be there. Yet again, I'm curious if that wasn't an excuse to get me there so I could build relationships. - Here's some of my reflections from this past weekend.

[From video with Rob Bell]

In Matthew's gospel, Jesus walks on water during a storm - the disciples are in a boat. Peter eventually walks out into the water and starts to walk on water. BUT, after a strong gust of wind he gets scared and he starts sinking. Jesus says: "You of little faith. Why did you doubt?"

I've heard this story many times...but Rob Bell points out that the Jewish culture understood something unique here. Jewish boys memorized the Torah - and if they were good enough would be chosen to learn more. Eventually they would approach a Rabbi and ask to be their disciple - because they admired that Rabbi and wanted to do the things of that Rabbi. This is a great parallel to the kind of Rabbi Jesus was. Instead he calls the disciples (who have been overlooked for disicpleship before - they already failed the test)SO this is important when Peter starts walking on water. HE IS DOING THE THINGS HIS RABBI IS DOING. Jesus called the disciples believing in them - that they could indeed do this very thing called discipleship. When he starts sinking, its not that he is doubting Jesus - Jesus is STILL walking on water right there in front of him. He doubts that he could really be like Jesus.

Are we walking on water and starting to doubt that indeed we are meant to do this calling?

I went on two walks with one my mentors. This mentor is not on my mentoring team whom I see often and they is a mutual covenant for mentorship in place. Anyways, the first walk we were with a friend - dreaming about the possibility of creating a permanent relationship between an El Paso border ministry and a Katrina effected congregation. The second walk was this morning. I told her about ClayPeople and where we are. She gave some great, challenging questions. This mentor really has gifts with organization. More than anything though I got my feet covered in dust. I couldn't help but think this was the kind of teaching that Jesus did. Long walks, dusty feet and hard questions. Until the whole walking on water thing...I wonder if walking on water means getting your feet covered in dust?