The truth is that this life can be so tiring. This is so true for all of us who continue to work our way through these long, troubled days, and it was true in the past too.
Simon, James, and John were tired too. They had just worked all night, fishing on the lake of Gennesaret. And, though they had worked hard throughout the night, they caught no fish. When Jesus comes along the lakeshore, teaching the crowds, these three are just trying to get their nets cleaned so that they can go home and rest.
A nap would have been so nice, but, Jesus asks Simon to put his boat out a little ways so that he can teach the crowds that have pressed him into the waters. Simon does so.
Then, after teaching the crowds, Jesus tells Simon to sail further out and put down the nets; the nets that he had just cleaned.
I do not know the type of person you become when you are frustrated, angry, and probably a little hungry on top of it all, but apparently Simon is a lot like me. Being tired, hangry, and frustrated, has a way of taking nice, calm, diplomatic sounding words and just letting them spill all over the place like a river of toxic waste. It never looks or sounds good. This is how Simon’s response sounds to Jesus’ request to let the nets down again.
“Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
It is like a customer demanding that a car mechanic replace the blinker fluid. “Ok, if you say so. The customer is always right!”
It is like a patient demanding to have sugar pills for their pain. “Ok, if you say so. Take three. Heck! Take ten. Whatever you say.”
You have to understand that Simon, James, and John are professional fisherman. They have been doing this since they were children. And, now some fly by night preacher is just going to tell them to go lower their nets over in the deepest part of the lake to catch fish; because we all know that the fish love to gather in the deepest part of the lake.
The truth is that they are tired.
The truth is that we are tired.
How many times have you tried to make your little corner of the world just a little better; just a little more efficient, or just a little more kind, or just a little more rational, or just a little more loving? But the truth is that people are people and people sometimes are not very bright, or organized, or loving. It is like beating your head against a wall over and over again just to make the slightest of improvements. It is all a little tiring.
How many times have you worked hard to improve your situation in life and something always comes up? It reminds me of the time that we had just gotten to the point in life where we could save up just a little bit of money to go somewhere and do something fun. Then, on a bright, sunny day, with no wind in the air, an enormous tree in our yard just up and decides that it is going to die…right on my car. I tell you, I let that dead tree have it. If it were alive, and had emotions, and had eyes, it would have feared the torrential barrage of rocks and inappropriate words that I was throwing at it. The truth is that we all sometimes get very, very discouraged and tired.
And, that is exactly what is so amazing about this story, because though Simon, James and John were so very tired and discouraged; Jesus chose them to be his guys. Out of all the hundreds of people who were swarming to get Jesus’ attention at the lakeshore that morning, Jesus chose these tired and frustrated guys to be his. Why?
Maybe, it is because they put down their nets anyway. Even though they knew it was of no use, they put their nets down anyway. Even though all they wanted to do was go home and take a nap, they put their nets down anyway. Even though the truth was that they were tired and frustrated, they put their nets down anyway. Because, maybe, just maybe, Jesus knows something that we do not know. Maybe, Jesus knows that there are so many fish that they will not even be able to haul in their nets. Maybe, Jesus knows that God is so plentiful that their boats will begin to sink from God’s gift.
Have you ever done that? Have you ever just gone ahead and followed Jesus, even if your heart was not in it? Have you ever forgiven someone, not because you wanted to, but because it is the way of Jesus? Have you ever provided for someone, not because they deserved it…they most certainly did not…but because it is the way of Jesus? Have you even just set your nets into the water anyway?
Here is the truth: faith is so often simply trusting that Jesus knows what he is doing. Faith is so often just doing it anyway, because you know that even if you cannot make a difference, Jesus can.
You see, Jesus can turn your little boat into a pulpit where the word of God touches hundreds of people’s lives. Jesus can fill your nets when you have been unable to even find a single fish. Jesus can call your name and lead you out of a tired life into a holy life. Jesus can transform everything.
Now, undoubtedly, there is a little voice somewhere in the back of your head that is saying something like, “Jesus does this sort of thing to other people. Not to me. After-all, I am not good enough, or smart enough, or healthy enough, or young enough, or old enough, or good looking enough.”
You are not alone. The truth is that Simon felt the same way.
After pulling in the bounty of fish, Simon Peter falls down at Jesus’ knees and says over and over again, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” In other words, Peter hears the voice too. He too is convinced that he is not good enough. He knows who he is. He knows all that he has done. He is a rotten fish in a sea of clean, fresh water.
Yet, Jesus’ response is not, “It’s OK Peter, you are forgiven. Try harder next time.” Instead, Jesus’ response to Peter is, “Do not be afraid…”
“Do not be afraid.”
We have heard this before. God sends the angels to both Mary and the shepherds with these words of invitation, “Do not be afraid.” And, Jesus will continue to invite people into his way and his life with the words, “Do not be afraid.”
Jesus is calling you. Do not be afraid. Do not let the sins of the past hold you back.
Do not be afraid. Do not let what others have said about you, “You are too fat,” “You are too stupid,” “You are too old,” “Your are too young,” “You are too caring,” “You are too stubborn,” “You are too…whatever!” hold you hostage.
Do not be afraid. You are good enough. You are God’s child. You are a brother or sister of Jesus. And, Jesus is choosing to say to you: "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people."
You are good enough to be given a purpose from God. You are a part of God’s story. Do not be afraid, God has chosen you. Do not be afraid. The truth is that the Lord has called you to follow.
I love that Simon, James and John just drop their things and follow Jesus. They just let it all go. Like Jesus, they just let the past go. Like Jesus, they just let the fear go. Like Jesus, they just let their tiredness go. Like Jesus, they just let their sinfulness go. They just let it all go and they follow.
What is it that you need to let go? What is it that holds you back from Jesus’ call? What is it that stubbornly gets in the way of you being who God created you to be?
Jesus says to you today, “Do not be afraid.” Go ahead, let it go, leave it all here today, and follow your savoir.
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