Casting Our Nets

"Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net. . ." (John 21:11).

A pastor lamented to a fellow pastor that he was not getting the converts he desired. His friend happened to think of this verse from John 21, and he told the unfortunate shepherd of the stationary flock that he should pull in the net if he wanted to catch his converts.

We ordinary folk have nets, too: nets of kindness, letters that we should take time and love to write; many actions and reactions that pull in the net and catch a lamb for Christ. It may be a little child who Jesus wants us to bring to Him; indeed, it is the little ones -- and those with the simplicity of the children -- that He so desires. It certainly is those with whom we live and work and play and have our being. We are not islands unto ourselves, but aisles through which others may reach God and attain that Blessed Hope of a happiness which cannot be bought on this carnal earth.

Jesus commands that we take action now: "Cast your net . . .and you will find something." But we dare not waste His and our precious time! Life is very inconvenient at times. Babies are born in the middle of the night; surgery interrupts our plans; a loved one is in dire need of our compassion; an accident takes a precious life; a grove freezes after we have already planned the budget; a beloved child is born with congenital heart disease; someone comes to the door just as we have settled in to read a good book. We can cast many helpful net if we are open to the Holy Spirit.

We may become discouraged at our results for we seem to gather in so little fruit: a life changed here, a little victory over a temptation there. But Christ bids us to let down our net again, to continue our work, and to trust that He pulls in the net with us. "But because you say so, [Lord], I will let down the nets" (Luke 5:5).