Pause

There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; and there are different ministries and the same Lord; and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Listen

When he finished speaking to the crowds, he said to Simon, “Row out farther, into the deep water, and drop your nets for a catch.”

Simon replied, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing. But because you say so, I’ll drop the nets.”

Luke 5:4-5

Think

These two verses make me laugh when I read them. Jesus, a carpenter and teacher, is telling an actual fisherman how to fish. I feel like what the Scripture must have left out is Simon’s eye rolling as he explains to Jesus that they’ve been working hard all night and haven’t caught anything. Surely, he also could have explained that he is trained in his profession and knows what he is doing and has already tried the deeper water, the fish just aren’t biting today.

Simon could have said, “I don’t need you to tell me how to fish, and I won’t try to tell you how to build a boat.” Simon instead humors Jesus: “Ok, Jesus, I’ll do what you said because you said it, but not because I don’t know how to fish.”

Emily Peck-McClain

Pray

God of surprise, I pray that you help me do what you ask of me, even if it might sound strange. I seek to take a risk like Simon did. In the name of Christ, amen.

Go

Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17