Peter has spent many hours with Jesus. He heard Him teach and watched Him heal—even his mother-in-law.

Now, Jesus will touch Peter at his most vulnerable point, his profession. Peter has been a fisherman of fish for a long time, but on this day, Jesus will teach him how to become a fisher of men. Notice the seven steps.

1. Look for opportunities

Jesus is standing by the Sea of Galilee trying to speak to the people, but the crowd is having trouble seeing and hearing Him. So… he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen who were mending their nets.

2. Seize available resources

Jesus gets into one of Peter’s boats and asks him to push away from the shore just a bit, then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

3. Move from reluctance to obedience

When Jesus finishes speaking to the people, he tells Peter, ” Pull out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Peter responds, “We’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 

4. Recognize when God’s power is at work

They catch so many fish the nets begin to break. They signaled their partners to come and help, and they came and filled their boats so full they began to sink.

5. Allow God to stir a deep confession

Even with all the experience Peter has already had with Jesus, nothing touches him like this. Jesus has entered Peter’s domain. He falls to his knees and, like Isaiah, he says, “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!” 

6. Encourage people to catch others

James and John are also a part of this miracle. They’re sitting there with a boatload of fish as well.  Jesus tells Peter, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”

7. Surrender completely

Likely, Andrew was also in the boat with Peter. So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Story found in Luke 5:1-11)

How do we apply these steps? Allow me to share my pilgrimage with my friends at the “Y”. I work out on 10 machines and do water aerobics for my rheumatoid arthritis. Since this is one of the few places I meet with people outside the church, I rather see it as my mission field. I try to observe #1—”Look for Opportunities.” That means, I try to be friendly and have Christlike attitudes. 

(#2) The “available resource” I have is the book the Lord led me to write about Nicodemus. Some of the men and women I see each week are devoted Christians, many are in Catholic churches where they do little Bible study, if any, some have only nominal backgrounds in Christianity, and one 80 year-old says she has never been to a church.

(#3 at work.) 21 of these wonderful people bought my book over the past two years and say it was a blessing to them.  The 80 year-old asked for my first book as well. (step #4)

I’m still trying to be a fisher of people. What joy it will be to reach #7! How is your fishing coming along?

~ Joyce ~