What lessons to we have from Peter's experience of walking on water?

Peter saw it.
The strange, ghost-like image
Over the dark waves.
To ease his frightened mind he shouted,
“Jesus, if that’s you, make me walk with you!”
Jesus said, “Come.”
And he did.

He wasn’t graceful
as he tiptoed the raging sea.
He was doing it
and that’s what mattered.
He knew he was good
and he soared with confidence --- in himself.

He needed the Master to order him, at first
but as he progressed
his pride began to grow.
Now he was doing this thing on his own.

He noticed the winds
which had been there all along.
But now he was troubled.
“What am I going to do about this?”
He knew he couldn’t do it
so he cried out for help.

The lesson for you and me, my friend
is that its good to try to imitate the Lord.
When we fail, as we all do,
all is not lost.
It’s better to imitate and fail
then never to imitate at all.
It was when he changed his focus to himself
that he began to sink.

Let’s jump out of the boat today
and imitate the Lord.
And know that when we look at him
and how he lived
and loved
and shared,
when we try and sink
His hand will lift us up.