Confidence

I like to believe that I am ‘good’ at some things and ‘very good’ at others. That is part of who I am. Throughout my life, I have gained skills and gotten even ‘better’ at some of those things. So when I am ‘in my element’ I can really shine. And I love it when others say, “Wow! You really know what you are doing here.”

According to Luke 5, Simon (later known as Peter) owned his own fishing boat. He had to have been a very good fisherman. It was what he was good at – not just good, but very good! He made a living for himself and for others he hired to help on his boat. No doubt other fishermen would say, “There goes Simon. He’s one of the best fishermen in the whole area.” And little boys who liked fishing would say, “When I grow up, I want to be like Simon and have my own fishing boat and catch big fish.”

It would be quite easy for Simon to feel proud of himself. He had accomplished something important with his life. He was successful at what he did. When Jesus asked to use his boat to speak to the people on the shoreline, Simon must have felt quite proud that Jesus had selected his boat out of all the boats there. He might have thought, “Even Jesus thinks my boat is the best. He chose to use it today.” Yes, Simon’s confidence was high. Well sort of… he had a not-to-successful night fishing the night before and wondered who did what to the sea that there weren’t so many fish to catch anymore. But you’ll have this once in a while. Tonight he would go out again and fill the nets because he was that good and that successful.

After Jesus was done talking with the people, Jesus turned to Simon and asked him to take him on a deep sea fishing trip. Simon was quick to inform Jesus that if he, one of the best fishermen on the coast, was unable to catch anything last night, there was nothing there to be caught. But if Jesus wanted to go out and drag the nets around a while, he would humor him and let him see for himself that there just were no fish in the area right now. Besides, you can’t expect to get fish in the heat of the day – they go deeper and further out. This Jesus sure didn’t know much about fishing.

Wait! What’s going on with the nets? Are they really filling with fish? How can it be? James! John! Come quick and help. This is a huge catch – the most I’ve ever seen in all my years fishing! “… and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.” John 5:7b

Simon’s response was quick, “… he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’” Luke 5:8 He recognized instantly that only God could do something this huge. Everything that he thought he was, everything that he took confidence in within himself was worthless compared to who he was standing next to. And then Jesus invited Simon to come with him. “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” Luke 5:10 And Simon didn’t hesitate, nor did James and John. “So they pulled their boats up on shore, and left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:11

Two things happen when we truly come into the presence of the Lord. First, we see ourselves for what we really are – filthy rags next to his holiness and incompetent next to his greatness. All the greatness that we think we are is suddenly nothing when we truly set our eyes on Jesus. And secondly, when we discover that he loves us in spite of ourselves and that he is inviting us to join him in his work, we are willing to drop everything and follow him. We can do nothing less because there is no place we would rather be than following him.

Caught in Jesus' Net

The crowd was pushing to get closer and Jesus’ noticed he was standing in wet sand and soon his feet would be in the water as he kept stepping back while the crowd pushed toward him. “He saw at water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.” Luke 5:2-3 I wonder why people kept gathering around Jesus. It seemed there were often crowds. He started in the synagogues, but it seems the synagogues were no longer big enough. So we find them gathering at the shore on the beach.

Was it an accident that he happened to be standing next to Simon’s boat as the crowds pushed? Or was it something God ordained to happen? It sure was handy to have a place to stand where the crowd couldn’t push up against him and he could project his voice out over the crowd as he taught them. The wind off of the water likely carried his voice so he could be heard even in the back of the crowd.

“When he had finished speaking, 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.’” Luke 5:4-5 Simon Peter had just got done cleaning up the nets. He was discouraged – they had been out all night (prime fishing time) and hadn’t caught anything. Yet, something about Jesus compelled him to not argue too loudly. He didn’t say, “Hey, I’m the fisherman here and if there was something to be caught, I would have caught it. Who do you think you are telling me to go back out? Don’t you know it is too late in the day to fish now? The fish won’t be biting.” But rather, he addressed Jesus as ‘Master’ and said he would do what Jesus had asked.

Peter strikes me as a guy who learns best by experience. So maybe he thought he was going to teach Jesus something. And what would it hurt to go out in the boat. On the water was one of his favorite places to be. And it would give him some time with Jesus without a crowd pushing in demanding his attention. He could ask more of his own questions. Sure, he would take Jesus out if that’s what Jesus wanted to do. But he was pretty sure that there would be no fish today.

“When they had done so, [let down the nets] 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.” Luke 5:6-7 It seems that Jesus knew something about fishing after all. But he wasn’t fishing for fish. This catch was the lure – to get the attention of certain young men. Two boatloads of fish after a fishless night had their attention!

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. 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 5:8-11 Peter knew enough about fishing to know that he was seeing a miracle. Fish don’t just appear – especially this time of day. Yet their boats were filled to overflowing. Peter knew he was standing in the presence of someone much greater than himself.

Fishing was Peter’s livelihood. It was how he provided for himself and his family. To walk away from that was a significant act of trust. Yet, he couldn’t not follow this Jesus. Like a fish following a lure, he had to check it out. And sure enough, he got caught! Not only that, but there were several of his friends that got caught as well.

I am wondering about what God has used in my past to get my attention so I would follow him. He has taken things that I am passionate about and used them as lures and then my passion changed from being focused on those things to being focused on him. And the more I am caught up with him, the more I share his passion for others. I will never be a Peter. God didn’t make me or call me to be a Peter. But I have been caught in the same net. Praise God!