Luke 5:1-11
1Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." 5Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." 6When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." 11When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
2 comments:
The word that enters my mind when I read this passage is "shame". Simon Peter feels frightened, unworthy, and overwhelmed by Jesus' gifts. How often has this happened in my own life, that something I've longed for finally comes my way, and yet I push it away, feeling panicked, disoriented, and unequal to the task. Jesus cuts Simon Peter some slack and diverts his attention to the metaphor of fishing for men, something His disciple will be able to do soon enough. We know, however, how keenly aware Jesus is of the struggle we have to truly trust and to receive His ever-abundant, never-failing love. And it is this love, I believe, that is the antidote to that all-too-human feeling of shame that drives us inward, keeps us separate from one another, and causes us to consider His love with the taut ambivalence of longing and reluctance.
The part of this passage that strikes me is the last phrase, "they left everything and followed him." Although I have read and considered this before, it still amazes me, the concept of picking up and leaving EVERYTHING to follow him.
I know that it is about the calling of God and we are not all called to take this literally, but I can't help but wonder if it seems so mind-blowing to actually consider the literal prospect, what things in my heart am I unwilling to leave behind to follow Him?
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