Leaving Nets

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-21

I have spent many a summer day happily fishing and most catching nothing. Oh, usually I catch something, but it is most often a crab or seaweed. Pretty consistently I lose lures and other rigging getting caught on rocks or tossed in the surf. Fortunately for me I not a professional fisherman. Growing up, our next door neighbor was, and he would spend weeks out on a boat, in all seasons, hauling in one catch after another. It is a hard life, and some of the hardship is the time spent away from family. I only fish for fun and the quiet time of watching the sea and sky around me. He made his life in grueling labor that came with great hardship and regular separation.

Jesus called some men way from their nets to be his disciples. He called them away from their livelihood, their income and their families to follow him. They went without question. Peter and Andrew turned their backs on family, income and culture -on all they knew- to follow Jesus.

Today, I want to remember to trust Jesus in my daily life and ministry. Our strength in ministry comes from Christ, and he uses all I bring so that more may know the love of God. I want to remember that the ministry is not mine, but Christs, and everything I do today is a gift from God. I can be a follower of the one who died so I might live . I can walk this day knowing Jesus is teaching me how to fish for people.