Today’s gospel tells the story of the calling of Simon Peter (and maybe Andrew), James, and John to become disciples of Jesus. It seems that the impetus for these men to follow Jesus was the miraculous catch of fish after a night of catching nothing. No matter the hows or whys, we get one of Jesus’ most famous lines: “From now on you will be catching men/people.”
There are a lot of fishing stories in the gospels. At least four of the twelve disciples were fishermen. Because of this history it makes sense that churches were traditionally built as upside down boats: the roof being the keel and the pews being the hull where the crew sat. Even the term “nave” has its roots in naval. As Jesus was with the fishermen for the catch of fish, so he is with them, and us, as we catch people. We also see that if we attempt to fish without the presence of Christ by our side, then our fishing will be in vain. Christ must be the reason we go fishing in the first place.
In this long, green season we are learning to become better disciples; but we are also on a fishing trip to gather disciples so that our nets, these walls, are filled to the breaking point. But as we are fishing, we might consider changing our perspective.
For the past two weeks I have talked about “the lost.” With a change in perspective, we can see “the lost” not as miserable sinners who need us to put Jesus in their lives, but as people whom we need and value. With a change in perspective, we can see this place being better with them than without them. After all, isn’t that why we look for lost things to begin with? Because we need that lost thing in our life? Part of doing that includes the ability, or at least the willingness, to see how their talents can be used for the kingdom of God.
Joelene and I watched a movie last week called, “The Hill.” It’s the true story of Ricky Hill, a boy with the God-given talent of hitting a baseball the proverbial mile. His hero is Mickey Mantle and his dream is to play in Major League Baseball. But he has two problems: the first is that he was born with a disease that makes his bones brittle, and the second is that he’s the son of a Baptist preacher in Texas.
The first is an ongoing physical issue that sees him dealing with leg braces, surgeries, and casts. He is continually fighting this obstacle for a chance to play baseball. The second is an ongoing feud with his father who refuses to let him do anything that might injure him or that he deems frivolous or useless to spreading the Word of God, and that includes playing baseball. Instead of seeing his son’s gift as a God-given talent that could be celebrated, the dad was focused on keeping his son from straying into worldly and selfish desires.
Today we have the story of Jesus calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John to be disciples. These men were career fishermen. They had the skill and talent to not only make a living at it, but to do it well enough that they had business partners. So when Jesus called them to follow him, he didn’t say, “I will make you teachers.” He didn’t say, “I will make you theologians.” He didn’t say, “I will make you orators.” He didn’t even say, “I want you to spend all your time working for the Church.”
What he said was, “You have a talent for fishing. I want you to use that talent to fish for people.” Use the talents you have to help grow the kingdom. Use the talents you have to help find those who have been lost.
When it comes to discipleship and the Church, we don’t need to live in an either/or world. We don’t need to live in a place or a system that says you can either pursue your talents and dreams, or you can live for Christ. That shouldn’t be how this works.
Instead, we should recognize a place of both/and. We can use our talents in ways that make us happy and fulfilled. We can also use our talents for the benefit of the Church and God’s kingdom. We don’t have to choose ourselves OR God, we can choose to use our gifts and talents for both. And I would argue that choosing both opens us up to a wide variety of possibilities.
This is something Jesus recognized and it is something he put to use when he called those four fishermen to become disciples. He didn’t change who they were. He didn’t negate their skills and talents. Instead, he tapped into already existing skills and talents to use them for the benefit of the kingdom.
As we reach out to the lost, remember that they are not lost because they need Jesus, but that they are lost because we are missing them. And as we work for the kingdom of God, let us also remember to look for how their gifts and talents can be used for themselves and for God.
In short, God uses what we have been given for the kingdom, and we use what God has given us for both ourselves and God.
God isn’t asking us to do anything new or out of character. God is asking us to use the gifts and talents we already have. God is asking us to invite others to use the gifts and talents they already have. We will be stretched and challenged, but we will already have a good place from which to begin.
Let us use our gifts and talents for both ourselves and for God. Let us invite others to use their gifts and talents in the same way. And I believe that if we use what we’ve got, with Christ by our side, then our nets, these walls, will be filled to the breaking point.
Amen.
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