Many Christians know that Peter spontaneously walked away from his fishing business in order to join Jesus’ ministry team.
These same Christians — and you — know that Peter’s decision followed the instantaneous cramming of his fish nets after a failed night on the water.
It was Jesus’ miracle-working power that prompted the catch, Peter concluded, and so, the fisher of fish chose to become what Jesus described as a fisher of men.
There is more than enough logic here to explain this cause-effect development. Peter experiences failure. Jesus provides a miracle. Peter realizes that there is more to life than career success. Peter enters a life of ministry.
It’s a quick, comprehensible summary.
But it’s also incomplete.
For you see, I believe that more was working on Peter’s heart than simply a huge pile of flopping fish.
If you read Luke 4:31-39, you’ll find that the stirring of Peter’s heart started before the fish-less night preceding the miracle catch.
Jesus had been teaching in a Capernaum synagogue where Peter was very likely a member. In that synagogue that day was a demon-possessed man. The demon taunted Jesus and the Messiah told the demon to be quiet and to leave the man.
It did.
Verses 36-37 say the synagogue attendees were amazed and that word about Jesus and His power started spreading throughout the area.
Right after leaving the synagogue, Jesus headed for Peter’s house. Remember, this was BEFORE the fishing miracle.
Why did Jesus head to Peter’s house? To heal Peter’s mother-in-law, that’s why.
The obvious implication here is that Peter was in the synagogue when the demon-possessed man was restored to a normal life and that Peter was moved to seek Jesus’ help for his mother-in-law.
That took real initiative, mind you, since Jesus was already famous and likely had others who wanted personal assistance.
But Peter boldly asked on behalf of his mother-in-law directly and, indirectly, on behalf of his wife.
Jesus saw Peter’s concern for the women and moved to intervene.
Upon His arrival at Peter’s home, Jesus saw that the fever was actually a tormenting affliction connected to Satan.
“So He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them” (v. 39).
Can you imagine how Peter must have felt toward Jesus at that moment?
Can you imagine how he must have felt about the joy of his wife whose mother was miraculously healed by Jesus?
I’m sure that Peter — and surely his wife — were riding an emotional wave of joy.
Word travels fast in small towns and so, within hours, many sick people came or were brought to the house or wherever He had moved. Each found healing with some being delivered from demons.
It was an incredible day of ministry.
It also did a ton of work in preparing Peter’s heart for what was to occur.
Now you know why Peter was later willing to obey Christ’s call to get back in his boat after a fish-less night and try fishing again, this time in a place they normally didn’t fish — the deep water toward the middle of the Sea of Galilee.
Now you know why the supernaturally filled nets prompted Peter to leave the business and its income so that he would do whatever Jesus told him to do.
And now you know why Peter likely didn’t have his wife complaining about his being gone so much during the next three years of their marriage.
Listen, we all want to see others leave their secular-only lives and choose to become involved in personal ministry, even as a layperson.
But it’s important to understand that we humans are complex jumbles of emotions and personal agendas and that major life commitments typically result from more than one “Wow!” experience with God.
If you are praying for someone to lay aside a secular-only world view and embrace Christianity as a way of salvation and lifestyle, please be prayerful and patient.
Pray that some vital need in his or her life will be graciously met by the power of God as an outreach incentive into his or her heart sent by God.
And pray that it happens again in another setting, perhaps one even involving you.
That person just might choose to become a Christian and then a ministering servant beyond that.
You certainly have.
And I thank you.
As always, I love you
Martin
