Jesus is No Helicopter Parent

February 25, 2025

Matthew 8:25,26 NIV
25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

How do you respond to anxiety? Some people get irritable and angry. Some people retreat and disengage. Some look to people or things to help calm them.

It is easy to think of Jesus as someone who would, with great love and care, rush over to us, put his arm around us and tell us that its all going to be ok. There is no doubt that there are times when Jesus does that. But just as often, the disciples got a plate full of challenge. “You of little faith.” Don’t hear that as dismissive or abusive. Jesus was fully committed to his disciples. He didn’t dismiss or minimize the real challenge facing them. The storm was real and life threatening. But he expected them to show some progress in their level of trust and faith in who Jesus was.

But didn’t Jesus take care of their problem in the end, just like a helicopter parent? The difference is what we can do, and what only God can do. A helicopter parent does for the child the things that the child can and should do for themselves. The disciples needed to trust and have faith in Jesus. But only Jesus could actually calm the storm.

It is ease for us to equate the storm to our fear and anxiety, which definitely feels like a storm sometimes. But in this case, the disciples fear and anxiety was not what got calmed. In fact, their emotions received a rebuke.

Whether or not Jesus changes our difficult situation, (sometimes he does, sometimes not) we are called to have trust and faith in him.

If we let our anxiety run wild, we might be surprised at Jesus’ response.

Prayer:
Jesus, you are the great and mighty King. You care about me and my situation more than anyone one earth. For the people and things that I can not control, I place them in your hands. Increase my faith, and help me see your love and faithfulness in every situation, especially the ones that are most challenging and painful. I will put my trust in you. Amen.