But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon,"Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men." Luke 5:8-10
Jesus offered the fishermen a change. Secondly, He offered them a challenge. And finally, a calling to follow. They knew their lives would never be the same again.
Robert Fulghum, in his humorous book It Was on Fire When I Lay Down on It, tells the story of Alexander Papaderos, a doctor of philosophy, who worked for many years trying to bring peace between the bitterly divided countries of Europe after WWII. His motivation for doing so stems from his childhood and a very odd event which took place.
"When I was a small child," he said, "during the war we were poor and lived in a remote village. One day, on the road, I found the broken pieces of a mirror. A German motorcycle had been wrecked in that place.... I kept one, the largest piece. By scratching it on a stone, I made it round. I began to play with it as a toy and became fascinated by the fact that I could reflect light into dark places where the sun would never shine - in deep holes and crevices and dark closets. It became a game for me to get light into the most inaccessible places I could find. I kept the little mirror, and as I went about my growing up, I would take it out in idle moments and continue the challenge of the game. As I became [mature], I grew to understand that this was a metaphor for what I might do with my life. I came to understand that I am not the light or the source of light. The light [or truth] is there, and it will shine in many dark places only if I reflect it." He concluded: "I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have, I can reflect light into the dark places of the world...and change some things in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise."
That’s how it happened to Alexander Papaderos. Listen to how it happened to Peter. Late into the evening Jesus finds Peter fishing on the sea of Galilee. They had caught next to nothing. Jesus astonishes the fishing crew by telling them exactly where the fish are. Peter falls to his knees and asks Jesus to leave. He pleads, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"
· When Abraham pleaded with God to spare Sodom, he said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes.”
· When Job finally got his audience with God, he realized then his error, “I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
· When Isaiah stood before God in his throne room, he cried out, “Woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips.”
The closer we get to God the more our sinfulness is revealed to us. But Jesus did not go. Instead He extended an invitation and accepting it meant their lives would never be the same again. They will continue to fish but the tackle will be adapted. Net’s will be cast aside for the Word. And fish will no longer be the goal. From now on, said Jesus, you will be fishers of men.
Jesus lays claim to our lives by His act on Calvary. He calls on us to accept not only His salvation but His purpose...to bring in the Kingdom of God. He offers us change, a challenge and a calling to follow Him.
When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. Luke 5:11
