Abandoning the Fish

Matthew 4:18-21

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fisherman.  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."  At once they left their nets and followed him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.  Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat their father and followed Him.

Simon, Andrew, James, and John were all fisherman.  Their arms were strong from pulling nets, and their hands probably always smelled like the sea.  What they knew was fish--tying knots, casting nets, fileting fish--the Bible makes it clear "they were fisherman."  Yet, when Jesus tells them (He doesn't ask) to follow Him, they drop everything they know and follow.  James and John even leave their father behind to follow Jesus.  I've read this passage numerous times, and yet it never occurred to me just how much these men left to move forward.  They left their comfort zones, their lifestyles, and everything they knew to follow a man named Jesus.  He tells them, "I will send you out to fish for people."  Jesus took men who limited themselves to fish to reach His children.

What might Jesus do with our talents--our comfort zones--our lifestyles?  What might he do with a teacher, a carpenter, a chemist? The fact is, He uses ALL of us, as long as we are willing to leave our fish behind and follow him.