Before reading any further, I need to make sure you’re a human and not a bot or just AI generating a summary of my article because it’s too long for you to read.
Now that I know you’re a human, can you also prove to me that you are who you say you are?
We’ve all been in these situations and not just online. When my family moved to Minnesota from Hawaii, we were in a bit of a limbo state when I tried to finance a car purchase. Due to island banking practices and not yet establishing a residence, I was denied a loan because they couldn’t be sure I was me. It was an unsettling, albeit small-scale, experience.
The frustration of people questioning who you are can be pretty enraging. Ironically this seems to happen most in the area of technology promising to smooth out our lives. I gave you CAPTCHA above, but there’s also two-factor authentication occurring repeatedly on your devices. A friend of mine can’t receive emails from his mom without it going to SPAM. Another friend experienced someone impersonating their daughter on the phone in order to scam them. And that’s just the run-of-the-mill dystopian stuff!
Have you ever had someone tell you you’re not acting like yourself or that you’ve changed? If you aren’t matching their expectations or fitting their sense of authenticity, perhaps you aren’t who you say you are.
It turns out that Jesus can relate. In fact, I’m pretty sure no one else has had their identity questioned more. In modern history, this seems like the de facto position. I’m not just talking about academia or historical criticism. It’s much more personal than that and usually arises from suffering rather than vetting. It begins almost as a prayer: “If it’s you …” It is our common starting point for Jesus to prove himself to us in some way.
Who of us hasn’t asked God to do something miraculous so that we can believe him? “If it’s you, God, show me.” Or perhaps we’re in a bind, and we wonder if Jesus is as caring as he claims to be. “If it’s you, God, why are you allowing this to happen?” It could also be some offense at what Jesus says or does, akin to “I couldn’t believe in a God who …” “If it’s you, God, you would agree with me.” Come to think of it, I might be questioning Jesus most of the time in my life.
Thankfully, Jesus is not surprised or unsettled by this. A cursory look at any of the Gospels shows regular questioning of who Jesus is, and very often Jesus provides what people are asking for, not as a proof of identity but an outpouring of love. Still, there are some cringeworthy examples that I’d like to avoid in my own life. For example, Satan’s temptation of Jesus leads with the statement, “If you’re the Son of God,” demanding proof of his power. The religious elite of his day essentially ask for the same. Give us a sign! Miracles and power should prove that Jesus is who he says he is.
Then there’s John the Baptist, far from a villain or even a fickle disciple. Yet, in prison he wonders if Jesus is really the one. This is his relative whom he baptized and whom God declared his son! But in the midst of his very real suffering, John is wondering if he got it wrong. Fixing his problem should prove that Jesus is who he says he is.
And it’s not always about miracles and solutions. I’m thinking of the general questioning Jesus receives. In one instance, it’s the Pharisees asking about paying taxes. In the next, it’s the Sadducees challenging him on resurrection. In both instances, they will only accept he’s the real deal if he already agrees with them. Conforming to my beliefs should prove that Jesus is who he says he is.
I wonder if this is what Peter is doing when Jesus walks out to them on the water. Is Peter’s question a demand for proof? The disciples find themselves on the lake in rough conditions and without Jesus. He walks out to them on the water, and they understandably freak out. Peter wants to know if it’s really Jesus, if he is who he says he is.
As much as people critique Peter for sinking in the water later, I’ve got to give him full credit for what he actually asks. He does not actually ask Jesus for a miracle or to do something even bigger. What Jesus is doing is already incredible. He does not ask for a fix to their problem in the form of calming the storm. He does not quiz Jesus on his identity with some question that only he and Jesus would know. Instead he says, “If it’s you, call me to you.”
If it’s you, call me to you. I envision the reaction of my kids when they’re distraught. They want Mom. They run to Mom’s arms. The relationship is the identity. Peter isn’t asking for proof from Jesus. He’s asking for faith. He’s asking for relationship. Jesus says, “Come to me,” and in every instance in scripture where Jesus is truly seen as he is, it’s an instance of faith and restoration and peace. It’s the same for you and me.
The very next moment that we find ourselves overwhelmed, Peter has given us the rest of the prayer to Jesus: “If it’s you, call me to you.” I hope we can ask it today. Jesus’ answer goes deeper than proving and has some telltale signs that it’s him. He leads with “Don’t be afraid.” He honors the request, telling Peter to come. And when Peter continues to be overwhelmed, to doubt Jesus, his hand reaches down and he rescues.
