Liquid Mountaineering

A video clip spread around on the Internet revealed a new sport called liquid mountaineering—aka, walking on water! The video showed several young men appearing to walk on water and described their techniques in such a convincing, scientific manner that many viewers believed the hoax was true … and one news station even reported it as true. You might have seen this “Liquid Mountaineering” video posted on a friend’s Facebook page or in an email forward. A group of European pranksters created a video cleverly describing and displaying their new sport. The video was made in documentary style, full of “facts” explaining how the sport was made possible, such as gaining speed and entering the water at a slight curve. Flashing video clips of runners taking “steps” on the water and intense music led many viewers to believe this might be a new extreme sport!

It is easy to laugh at people’s gullibility and the pranksters’ creativity. But they weren’t the first to come up with this idea. In Matthew 14, the disciples were on their boat at sea when Jesus walked out to meet them. Peter responded incredulously, calling, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water!” Jesus did and for a few moments, Peter walked on water. But his faith faltered as he saw the waves around him and he began to sink, until Jesus reached out to grasp his hand.

Walking on water didn’t require clever techniques or practice. It was a simple matter of faith. When we think of God’s power in our lives, it can be easy to think of His help as something that we earn through our actions. Eventually, we imagine, we might become practiced enough to gain His blessing more often. But God’s work in our lives is not the result of our own behavior. He only wants us to ask and believe, like Peter, so He can work in our hearts.

Key Bible Texts

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14:31 KJV)