A new beginning

In retrospective, he could not even imagine such a day, one that ended with a total internal and external turn around! A day when his life would move from being one of significance through productivity to one that will find significance through following!

It was one of those days – a full day’s work (a full night’s work) and at the end of the day nothing in hand. A feeling of having wasted the whole day! And he was sitting and cleaning his tools (nets) before he can go home and catch some well needed sleep. It was at this time, this teacher walked into his life. Not a welcome interruption – end of the day, tired, wanting to go home and rest, the teacher requesting use of his boat as a platform to teach.

But teachers are to be respected, never say no to teachers, and guests, especially new and unknown people are to be welcomed, this is what was ingrained into his life as a value. So, with no questions asked, he allowed him to enter his boat. Peter had heard through grapevine about this itinerant carpenter turned teacher who seems to be attracting some attention. And it was an opportunity to observe him at close hand too!

The teaching seemed a quite unorthodox, but very clear and challenging. It started him thinking beyond the nets and the fish! But he was not giving his full attention since he was busy cleaning his net too! But there was something that attracted him to the way he was speaking! The teacher finished his teaching and Peter was about to take the boat back to the shore. That is when he heard him telling, with some kind of authority in his voice - “Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.”

Peter was unclear what he should do. After working all night, and not having caught anything at all, should he listen to a carpenter, who had no experience in fishing! If it was Zebedee his father, a well accomplished fisherman who was telling, it might have been different! But should he say yes or no – but to a teacher one generally does not say no! And the authority of his voice was reverberating in his ears! Reluctantly he responded, “But because YOU say so, I will let down the nets.”

The halfhearted effort and the outcome overwhelmed him! He had to fall back on his friends to help him out. His heart which already emotionally down with lack of success after a whole night’s work, teaching of the master which had challenged his heart, and now this unusual success broke his heart! He recognized that he was in the presence of someone who was not an ordinary teacher! “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” was his response.

Little did he realize; this breaking would be the start of building a new life! A new life where he would find significance through following a Master who was worth following. That following him will change his life from one that was focused on his own livelihood, to one that finds fulfillment in being part of Gods Kingdom and inviting others to be part of such a Kingdom.

Significance through following a Master who was worth following, and fulfillment through being part of the Kingdom that was advancing, starting from an experience of being broken! Something to reflect on during this confusing season of challenged productivity and a season that invites us to embrace brokenness!