Christian Living
Peter is one of my favorite disciples of Jesus Christ. Understanding his transformation from an unstable talkative person to a reliable leader of the rest of the disciples after Jesus’s death, reveals God’s magnificence in making a masterpiece out of unlikely vessels. You and I can experience this transformation.
The early verses of Luke chapter 5 does more than show a miracle of provision and abundance, they also portray Peter in a light that helps us appreciate why Christ chose him to lead his team despite after His death despite his obvious human imperfections. They reveal the personality of Peter and how this contributed to his experience of a net-breaking miracle.
Peter went fishing with an empty boat and empty nets, he returned with an empty boat and empty nets.
Then he went fishing again with an empty boat with empty nets, and this time he returned with 2 boats and nets full of fishes (Luke 5:4-8).
We can position ourselves to have the similar experience as Peter, when we understand what happened in the time interval between his first and second fishing trip that made the difference and made this miracle possible.
Below, we consider 10 of Peter’s qualities we can infer from Luke chapter 5…..
1 Peter was hardworking and resilient
Peter was not only a professional fisherman, he was also very hardworking and resilient. Why spend a whole night searching for fish? With his fishing experience Peter should know better that the tides were unfavorable that particular night and pull the boat to the shore, instead of staying on for a whole night. Peter was surely a man dedicated to and passionate about his trade.
2. Peter had a generous heart
A bad night of fishing without fish is enough to make anyone cranky and not nice, Peter was the complete opposite of cranky. Someone might even want to think that Jesus was being ‘insensitive’. I mean Peter just had a bad night, and to come asking for favor, moreover to preach! Maybe it would have been nicer if Jesus just offered to first get the fishes for Peter before asking for his boat. Peter gave his boat without complain and without any obvious immediate gain.
3. Peter was teachable
I had to use my imagination a bit to answer the question of where Peter was after letting Christ have his boat for a sermon? Was he washing his nets or getting a well deserved rest? I want to believe that Peter sat down just like the rest of the crowd, and listened to Jesus teach. What Peter didn’t realize though was that by bringing himself to listen to Jesus Christ, he was building his faith in preparation for his forthcoming miraculous catch of fish. Peter’s faith was stirred up by Jesus’ teaching, his expectation was aroused and I daresay Peter was greatly impressed with the words of wisdom that proceeded from Jesus’ lips.
4. Peter acknowledged the limits of his skill
When Jesus directed Peter, a professional fisherman, to let down the nets again, Peter could have felt insulted. Does Jesus have sufficient knowledge or experience on fishing to be directing him exactly where he needed to let down the nets for a good catch? It was probably easy for Peter to obey Jesus because having listened to Him, he appreciated a superior knowledge/wisdom in display, and he responded positively to it.
5. Peter respected authority
When a seasoned fisherman tells you he has toiled all night without a catch, he must be pretty sure of himself. But again, having listened to Christ, Peter recognized Jesus’ authority and if Christ could teach with such wisdom, He must have God’s authority. Maybe more important is the fact that Peter placed Jesus’ authority above his experience.
6. Peter recognized and acknowledged a miracle when he saw one
There are many people that would come up with logical explanations for why their second round of fishing yielded great catch rather than ‘fall down at Jesus feet’. Peter recognized that only a supernatural intervention would give the kind of catch they experienced and he was not going to take the praise to himself. This net breaking miracle is all to the glory of God.
7. Peter cared about other people
When Peter called his partners in the other boat to come help gather miracle, I believe that he called them to come share of his abundance and not just to help him carry his blessings to shore. Once again, we see Peter’s generous nature show up.
8. Peter prioritized Godly wisdom over earthly strengths
How do you toil all night without success and then be magnanimously given what you toiled for in an overwhelming measure, only to abandon same and walk away? You must have seen something of greater value! Whatever Peter heard Christ teach, combined with his experience of the miraculous catch of fish, made nonsense of Peter’s technical know-how, knowledge and experience. He hungered for Christ’ wisdom.
9. Peter prioritized Godly wisdom over wealth
You don’t seek for a promotion, get one and then refuse the salary increment or benefits of your promotion. Peter needed fish to make money/wealth. It doesn’t make sense that he’d walk away from it when he got it. Can you just imagine how much money 2 almost-sinking-boats laden with fishes would bring? But Peter suddenly ignored all that to become a fisher of men; something he knew little or nothing about at the time.
10. Peter trusted Jesus
By abandoning his fishes, boats and nets and following Christ, Peter was walking into the unknown. That is only possible where there is trust. Yes, Peter was generally unstable in his reaction to things, but to abandon his only source of livelihood without thinking was a bit overboard. I believe Peter’s encounter with Jesus helped his decision no matter how irrational it looked. If Jesus can teach with so great a wisdom and miraculously provide what he toiled all night for, then Jesus can be trusted absolutely to take care of him.
We can all learn something from Peter in order to facilitate our next net breaking miracle.
