“One day…Jesus…saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
When he had finished speaking [to the crowds] he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.‘ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
…Simon Peter…and his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken…
Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid, from now on you will catch men. So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed Him.”
–Luke 5: 1a, 2b, 4-7, 9, 10b-11–
Nowhere in this verse does it say, “They took the fish to the market, sold them, made a year’s wages, and then followed Jesus.” This passage never tells what happens to the many fish that were caught; however, it does emphasize how much was caught. We can read over this verse so quickly and not give it a second thought, but to experience such a huge harvest, instantly, baffled the fishermen to the point of fear of Jesus. Imagine in your workplace, the environment where you invest in your passions, what if a year’s work was granted to you instantly? More than likely, the enemy was tempting them to be greedy, take the fish and run. Take a minute to stop and mentally picture, not one boat, but two, so full of fish that they start to sink! We need to grasp how incredible of a catch this was. And to leave that all behind, to follow Jesus, is such an incredible sacrifice! They didn’t just leave a great catch, they left everything: financial security, a normal life, and a steady home (during the length of Jesus’ ministry, and for some, after his resurrection and ascension to Heaven again). Today, so many people get sidetracked from what God wants them to do because of the temptation of a great job or big money. Many of us, myself included, need to learn how to have a humble willingness, like these fishermen, and follow Jesus. Because of their faith, these men went down in history and their lives are still setting an example thousands of years later–that was not because they chose the route of temporary fame, success, or acknowledgement.
-Ash
