Cast Your Nets
How do you respond when someone comes to you with a better way, at least better according to them? Do you get defensive and think to yourself “Who made you the expert?” or do you listen to their advice? Admittedly, there are a lot of armchair quarterbacks who always seem to know the best way to do just about everything. I remember years ago I hired a staff accountant who had just graduated from college a few months earlier. This young man had only been on the job one week when he presented me with a list of twenty things that we needed to improve on. Really? But there are also times when the person is genuine in their desire to help us become more effective and efficient.
Today I want to share a story from John’s Gospel that occurred about a week after Jesus had been crucified, buried, and raised from the tomb, and began to reappear to people in the area. The story begins like this – It is morning and Jesus’ disciples, who are also experienced fishermen, are sitting in their boat on the Sea of Galilee, disappointed that they had caught no fish all night long. (We find a similar story at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, found in Luke 5:1-11.)
Let’s continue the story by looking at the text, found in John chapter 21 – Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your nets on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish (21:4-6).
The disciples did then recognize Jesus (v.7). The story ends by telling us that the men sat on the shore enjoying a breakfast of bread and grilled fish with Jesus. As a side note, in v.11, John tells us the number of fish found in the net, 153, thus giving credibility to this story since he must have been an eyewitness to know the exact number of fish. I encourage you to read this entire account in its context, John 21:1-14.
Unlike the armchair quarterback who always has a seemingly better way, often without any expertise or involvement, Jesus calls us to be faithful and obedient to His way, which is always the best way. He calls us to faithfully cast out our nets, sending us into the world, to change lives, feed the sick, clothe the naked, heal the sick, to love the unloved. We are responsible to cast out the nets. Jesus is responsible for what comes back in.
Today, cast your nets, maybe even in places where fishing doesn’t look too promising, and allow Jesus to work in you and through you.
