As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Mark 1:16-18
Stuart Briscoe went fishing with his 2 grandsons. Like most little boys, both of them found a nice spot on the dock and none of them wanted to give it up. Nudging and shoving, it looked like they would either get their lines entangled or one or both of them would end up in the lake. Like any concerned Grandpa, Stuart told the boys that one of them ought to move.
One of them said, “I was here first!”
“Then the one who was there first ought to move first,” Stuart exhorted.
“I don’t want to!”
Now, Stuart disliked being talked to that way by little boys. He wanted to be kind yet firm, but all that came out was, “You need to move, and you need to move. Right. Now!”
Now this boy made it known that he did not want to obey. He stomped and dragged his feet away from his special spot, found a different area, then cast his line with all his fury and might.
Lo and behold, as the line sunk into the water, a fish jumped to take the bait. The little boy who was angry one minute transformed into an excited kid, reeling in the catch with great anticipation and glee.
“Grandpa?”
“Yes?”
“You are a lot like Jesus, aren’t you?”
Stuart was taken aback, but he also wanted to respond humbly. “Why?”
“You knew where the fish was.”
“Ohhh.”
“And I’m like Peter…I don’t like being told what to do.”
Aren’t we all like Peter sometimes? Jesus sees our potential, and yet, when we are told what to do to get there, we don’t want to obey—we drag our feet, complain, or do things half-heartedly. But, oh, what a wonderful result when we follow Him! Our lives our transformed, bringing glory to God.
What is God telling you to do today? What will your response be?
O capture me with grace
I will follow You“Rescue” by Don Moen
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