“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” – Luke 5:10b
When Jesus called Simon to follow him, he was calling an ordinary man to an impossible task. In some gospel accounts it appears that Jesus walked up to an unsuspecting Simon and simply commanded him to follow – and Simon did so immediately, leaving all his possessions behind! Leaving everything at a moment’s notice must have filled Simon with trepidation. But there is more to the story, and Luke 5 gives additional detail. There we learn that Jesus was at the lake preaching to a large crowd when Simon and the others finished a long and difficult night of fruitless labor. It also appears that Simon’s encounter with Jesus that morning was not his first. Simon calls Jesus “Master.” and was readily obedient to his call. Most importantly, we learn that Jesus called Simon to be a disciple only after he had orchestrated a miraculous catch of fish. Jesus did not call Simon to follow him without first giving some assurances.
If Simon wondered how a follower of Jesus would have food to eat, he did not need to wonder after that morning. Jesus was able to fill their nets with fish, even after they had fished all night and caught nothing. Simon wondered out loud about his own worthiness; he begged Jesus to leave him because of his own sinfulness. But Jesus replied, “Don’t be afraid,” he gently implying the forgiveness of sins. Like all of us, Simon might have wondered how he could accomplish what Jesus was asking of him. He did not have any formal training. But on that morning, Simon learned that obedience is more important than formal training. When Jesus asked Simon to let down the nets in deep water, Simon openly questioned Jesus. He most have been tiered, probably a little frustrated, and now Jesus was making this strange request. Still, Simon responded with obedience – and as a result he saw the power of God.
Following Jesus will require from all of us the willingness to do both difficult and easy tasks, and sometimes things that don’t seem to make sense. What was true for Peter that morning is true for all of us: when we obey Jesus, we will see the power of God, find our needs met, and discover that all things are possible.