The reflection on the pond of this egret and the marsh grass gives the appearance that the egret is walking on the water rather than standing on the sandy bottom along the perimeter of the pond. When Jesus walked across the water to the disciples, however, it was not an illusion. The disciples were frightened because they thought it was a ghost. I think the only reason we are frightened of such possibilities is because ghosts are not "normal" and something outside our realm of understanding. Once Jesus declared who it was, they relaxed. Too often our fears are fueled by our lack of knowledge. These are what I call manufactured fears--not legitimate or based on reality. By our laziness in not endeavoring to discover the truth we consign the thing to something that should be feared and deal with it by just staying away from it. Caution is a good thing when it's called for, but fear is never a good thing. It speaks of lack of trust in God to see me safely through.
