The piece posted is titled it’s not up for interpretation and comes from the story where Jesus is walking on water and Peter asks to join him but is soon overcome with fear. Today a lot of things are up for interpretation, and a lot of things are up for us to decide when it comes to tone, attitude, and feelings but in this particular story, when Jesus told Peter to join him on the water was not up for interpretation. Jesus knew what He said would come to pass, that Peter would walk on water and hopefully someone will find something in this piece that they can learn from and know that the Lord is not about telling you to trust Him only to let you down.
I once liked this guy but I was not sure if he felt the same way so whenever I was around him, I would stand just a little closer, I would sit just a little closer, laugh a little louder, and in the end, it turns out he did not feel the same way. He did not get that I liked him, instead, he proceeded to tell me about someone he liked and how he was unsure if she knew how he felt, isn’t that ironic?
Interpretation is a funny thing. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “the action of explaining the meaning of something.” I thought I was being clear with how I was trying to show a guy that I liked him but it ended up being left open to interpretation. I did not come out and explicitly say that I liked him, we did not even discuss it but I thought my actions meant something. Today the area of interpretation has widened beyond words because people read, see, and comment on something, and in the end, it is all left to interpretation. It is left for other people to come through and filter and really create a mess.
A perfect story from the Word is the story about how Jesus walks on water in a storm and the disciples do not believe it is Him and so Peter the bold one says, “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” And Jesus did exactly that, He told him to come out but because fear came over Peter he felt like he was drowning (Matthew 14:22-23) most people will talk to you about taking courage and trusting God and you should do that, it is an important lesson.
However, this is up for debate or open to interpretation. The reason why is that Peter, was the bold one and we focus on Peter and his boldness to step out and go to Jesus but what did the other disciples think about it? Did they think this guy was being annoying once again because he was showing off, just like we do when we follow people on social media but then hate their growth and find it annoying? Did the disciples just feel that Peter was the obvious guy to test God, just like we do today when we know the girl that will get the pretty wigs and the latest phones? Did the disciples feel like Peter disrespected God because he was trying God by not believing it was really him on the water? You see it is open to interpretation.
At the same time, it was not. It was not up for interpretation because, unlike people, God knew the command that He gave Peter when He asked him to join him out on the water. He knows there were no two ways about it. He knew that when he stepped out to Him, he would be able to do so. The Word is the Word and what He said and did on the cross. As humans, we have our own interpretation of that alone because it is hard for us to believe that someone who was just like you and me, was a stainless lamb and gave up His life for all of us and those to come. There is no interpretation when it comes to what Christ did on the cross and the promises He makes in His word. You might think that some chapters are hidden, that woman was supposed to bear children, that there might be contradictions but at the end of the day understand that God never wanted anything to be up for interpretation with Him. He is a Father and all He wanted is for His children to love Him, a love that is freely given.
So ultimately, everything is left for interpretation. We never really say exactly what we mean, we will never tell him we had a crush on him, or that she has this hold over you, that you really can not explain, or that although you do not really understand it you need him and maybe he needs you too but when it comes to God there is no interpretation.
There is no two ways or long pause, that is a God who is rooted in love and His promises will forever stand. He commanded Peter to come out to Him in the storm and every day He commands you to pick up your cross to follow Him and to love and have faith in Him, okay yes that is a big ask but at the end of the day what He did on the cross was not that a big ask too, yet He did it anyway.
Do not laugh a little louder or stand a bit closer and expect someone to know that you want something from them, instead, be direct in your actions and ways, and ask the questions even if you are not allowed to, because it is through that, that you close the window of interpretation ever so slightly.
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Until Next Time
