What the rabbi thinks.

There are times when I feel incapable. Ok I'm not going to lie...it happens a lot. I feel incapable of being good at school, viola, relationships, doing the "right" thing, or even pleasing God.

We're always told that God loves us the way we are, but it seems to come with some stipulations. He loves us if we can mark all the things off our good boys and girls checklist, if we don't mess up too badly (maybe if there are just a few minor mistakes here and there), if we take care of all the "if's" in life!

Ok Rob, take it from here...

"If you are a disciple, you have committed your entire life to being like your rabbi. If you see your rabbi walking on water, what do you immediately want to do? Walk on water.

So this disciple gets out on the water and he starts to sink, so he yells, 'Jesus save me!' And Jesus says, 'You of little faith, why did you doubt?'

Who does Peter lose faith in?

Not Jesus; Jesus is doing fine.

Peter loses faith in himself.

Peter loses faith he can do what his rabbi is doing.

If the rabbi calls you to be his disciple, then he acutally believes you can be like him. As we read the story of Jesus' life with his talmidim, his disciples, what do we find frustrates him to no end? When his disciples lose faith in themselves.

He even says to them at one point, 'You did not choose me, but I chose you.'

...Notice how many places in the accounts of Jesus' life he gets frustrated with his disciples. Because they are incapable? No because of how capable they are. He sees what they could be and could do, and when they fall short, it provokes him to no end. It isn't their failure that's the problem; it's their greatness. They don't realize what they're capable of....

I have been told I need to believe in Jesus, which is a good thing. But what I am learning is that Jesus belives in me.
I have been told I need to have faith in God, which is a good thing. But what I am learning is that God has faith in me.

The rabbi thinks we can be like him."
Rob Bell, "Velvet Elvis"



Well said Robby. I think he pretty much covers this one...