Luke 5: It's not about us.

The Calling of the First Disciples

It never ceases to amaze me how much detail I miss when I read the Bible in a cursory manner. There is so much meaning in this passage (v.1-11) about the reality of being called by Jesus and the state of our hearts if we are to be used by Him.

v3. Jesus got into the boat
Jesus didn't send Simon out. Jesus first got into the boat with Simon, and then they went out a little from shore together.

v3. Jesus asked Simon to put out a little from shore.
At this point, Simon did not know Jesus' plan. The only instruction was to go offshore a little bit. When God wants to do great things with us, He often takes us on little steps of faith, without us knowing the big harvest that's waiting for us in the end. That is the essence of faith - believing without knowing.

v5. Simon obeyed
Like most of us, when God proposes that He would do great impossible things with us, our first reaction is disbelief. I find Simon's simple, immediate second reaction - "But because you say so, I will" - to be so sweet. I don't hear his response as "there better be a big catch;" instead I read his response as simple obedience. I think this comes from his beginning his response with calling Jesus "Master."

Simon says they've worked hard all day. But Jesus wasn't in the boat when they worked hard by themselves all day.

Update 7/16/07: I made a mistake. Simon said they worked hard all night, not day. Fishermen work pre-dawn hours!

v8-10. Not sure what to make of this yet

v11. With the catch, they pulled up on shore, left everything and followed Jesus.
I see this not as the disciples' obedience. I see this more as the power of Jesus to show us so much of His power - compared to our meager efforts, even though we perceive ourselves as having "worked so hard" - that we can't help but believe in Him and follow Him. Through our tiny steps of faith, Jesus rewards us abundantly with MORE faith via showing us what He can do.

This is my biggest takeaway from this passage: it's really not about us.

- Kayan