Bad Roomba!

Mr. Kitty is my very privileged senior cat. Gray with white paws and taller than the average feline, he saunters with a purposeful stride. His personality matches his stature—a big show-off, full of hisses and opinionated meows, overly confident and impulsive. But the day the Roomba[1] came home, we discovered that Mr. Kitty’s over-the-top persona was a facade.

He was unfazed during the Roomba’s unboxing, even curious as it sat docked in its charging station. He strutted toward it, tail high, exuding alpha energy. With a sideways stare and extra-pointy ears, he seemed to say, “Be it known, you flat round creature, I have my eyes on you and could crush you if I chose.”

The moment I clicked the Roomba into action, however, Mr. Kitty’s tough demeanor vanished. He scurried away like the scaredy cat he truly is. And in that moment he reminded me of Peter on the stormy night in Matthew 14.

The scene follows a spiritual high: the disciples and Jesus had just participated in the miracle of feeding more than 5,000 people. Jesus sent the disciples ahead by boat. But when He saw them struggling in a storm, He walked toward them on the water. Terrified, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost. Jesus quickly assured them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matt. 14:27).[2]

This led Peter to impulsively ask to join Jesus on the water. Jesus invited him out, and for a moment Peter walked on water. But fear overtook him, and he began to sink. “Lord, save me!” he cried, and Jesus immediately reached out and caught him.

Two truths stand out in this situation: Jesus is present, and Jesus is in control.

Jesus Is Present

When the storm began, Jesus was up in the mountains, having some personal devotional time. But when He saw the storm, He came down to them—before the disciples even called for help.

Coming down has always been Jesus’ modus operandi. He came down to live among us, to show us the Father, to teach us how to live the Word. He came down to be a friend and advocate. He came down to carry the cross and die that we might live. This “coming down” reflects His character: He is the Lord who “is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18).

Jesus comes down to be in the middle of our storm so that when we look up in distress, the first thing we see is Him. Yet, in the fog of fear, it can be hard to recognize Jesus. When life seems like one desperate episode after another, everything becomes hazy, shadowed in a 4:00 a.m. fog like that of Peter’s storm. We squint into the darkness, unable to distinguish the Savior from a shadow.

The only way to rise from such sinking situations is to intentionally anchor ourselves in the truth that Jesus is present—despite our perception, despite our thoughts, despite our circumstances. Jesus is here. Jesus is ready.

Often the greatest miracles happen when we step out in faith despite our fear.

Jesus Is in Control

Once Peter recognized it was Jesus and not a ghost, he was full of confidence, trust, and boldness. Stepping out of the boat, he experienced firsthand what the other disciples did not. Even today there is a reward for the bold who step out in faith.

Imagine being called to do the impossible! That’s the Christian reality—to do the impossible through God’s power. Like most of us, Peter leaped in, full of good intentions. But in just a few moments of faltering faith, he was overwhelmed by the wind and waves.

What are the winds that toss you today? Do you feel called, but each step forward is pulled back by unexpected storms? When our faith falters, we can give in and sink—or we can reach up and take Jesus’ hand. We can crumble in doubt or fix our eyes on the firm foundation. We can second-guess our calling or cry out (as Peter did): “Save me!”

When we focus on the storm, the world becomes a terrifying place. But when we “trust in the Lord with all [our] heart and lean not on [our] own understanding” (Prov. 3:5), the winds and waves obey. I imagine God’s heart swelling when we recognize His presence and surrender control. His love overflows when we admit we can’t save ourselves. Often the greatest miracles happen when we step out in faith despite our fear.

Back to Mr. Kitty

There are entire forums online dedicated to pets afraid of vacuums. One article about dogs suggested that the human should sternly reprimand the vacuum to show the dog who is in control.

Deciding to try this tactic with Mr. Kitty, I waited until he was far enough from the Roomba to feel safe, but close enough to watch. At the perfect moment, I turned on the Roomba with my phone and wagged my finger at it. “Bad boy! No, no, no. You leave Mr. Kitty alone. Bad Roomba!”

Yes, I looked ridiculous. But I followed up with another “trick”—using the phone app to bring the whirring Roomba to an obedient stop. Again and again. Next thing I knew, Mr. Kitty was right by my side, sitting up straight, no longer afraid.

Since then, he has conquered his fear of the Roomba. He just needed reassurance (as Peter did) that his “master” was present and in control. Now when he walks past the Roomba, I can almost see the gears turning in his little kitty brain, remembering that I have this monster under control.

I haven’t had to chastise the Roomba again, because Mr. Kitty hasn’t forgotten. We humans, however, often do. We forget the times Jesus calmed our storms. Peter did. Just a few months earlier Jesus had calmed a raging sea while in the boat with the disciples. Peter had seen it firsthand—Jesus in control. Yet here he was, faltering again.

Peter let fear displace faith. He let doubt dictate his decisions. May we choose differently. May our past victories remind us of Jesus’ presence and power in our present storms. May we, as did the disciples at the end of that night, declare with certainty: “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matt. 14:33).

[1] A disklike robotic vacuum that can be controlled remotely via a phone app.

[2] All Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version.