Fishers of Men

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.  Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind. Matthew 4:18-22

God has really been speaking to me about identity. Who am I at the core of my being? Who was I created to be? How does my identity drive my actions? My beliefs? My purpose?

If I’m honest, this question has haunted me for over a decade. You see, I was called to the ministry as a child. I felt called to be a pastor’s wife when I was in college, giving me ample opportunity to fulfill that purpose of ministry. When my marriage crumbled, it was truly a crisis of identity. My identify of pastor’s wife was stripped away, and I was left wondering who I was, where I fit in the Kingdom of God, in this world.

I’ve found ways to fulfill that calling, that identity over the years. In the early years of my nursing career, I had the opportunity to minister to my patients, to be a light in some of the darkest circumstances. It filled my soul with joy! I spent many years loving my kids, raising them. They were my ministry. As a manager of teams, I’ve had the awesome privilege of loving my teams and ministering to them.

But there’s a nagging sense that there’s more.

So much more that God has for me.

for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Romans 11:29

Back in 2009 when I was walking through my divorce and grappling with my calling, God laid this verse on my heart. He reminded me that I am still a minister of the gospel, even though my place within the church had been stripped away. I have struggled for years to understand where I fit and who I am in the church in light of my calling and my divorce. I am firmly convinced I have in no way been disqualified from the ministry; instead, my specific role has simply changed. The question becomes what is my new role?

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a dear friend around this very topic. As we talked about identity, Matthew 4:19-20 came up. Jesus called so many of his disciples with a simple phrase, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to become fishers of men.”

This morning as I walked, I was replaying this conversation in my head. God opened my eyes to see four things about my identity in this verse.

God calls us away from vocations and into purpose. Jesus called the disciples to leave their nets (vocation) and follow Him. Many of us get caught up in our vocations. Which job should I take? What degree should I earn? We spend a whole lot of time fretting over what we do  and way less time thinking about who we are becoming. 

The disciples didn’t completely leave their vocation as we see them in their boats repeatedly throughout the gospels. But, their driving purpose changed. They became far more concerned about their purpose than their vocation. God may call some of us to completely abandon our vocation, but I believe He’s calling all of us to a purpose that is greater than our vocation.

All throughout scripture, God talks about creating us for a purpose. Do a biblical search on the word purpose. God is all about purpose. One of my favorites is Ephesians 2:10. It may not use the specific word purpose, but it clearly indicates God has planned out our purpose long before we were even conceived, that no one can fulfill our purpose except us. We are His masterpiece, created to do good things.

God calls us to leave a good thing and embrace something bigger. Many of us (I am chief of the offenders) have become so focused on the here and now. I am by nature a very present-oriented voice. I operate in the present. I don’t like taking big risks. I need to clearly see the way forward before I take a leap of faith.

God is not a God the comfort zone. So often, we find our greatest growth opportunities when we are willing to step out in faith, away from the comfort zone. I see that in this verse. God called the disciples to leave the comfort, the known, to step out in faith to something far bigger. He was (and is) less concerned with building a personal safety net and far more interested in building the Kingdom of God. Fishing (or any vocation) is not necessarily a bad thing; it’s often a very good thing. However, when God calls us away, He is always calling us to something bigger. It may not be bigger in the eyes of the world, but it is always bigger in the Kingdom of God.

God promises to show us how to walk into our purpose. I have struggled for a number of years with understanding the strategy to get from where I am to where I feel God is calling me. I have sought out others to help me build a strategy. I’ve purchased course that promised to teach me how to get coaching clients. It all seems to fall flat.

Oh how my heart rejoiced this morning when I reread Matthew 4:19. “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” Jesus didn’t just call them to follow; He promised to show them how to become fishers of men! When I am willing to take that step of obedience, He will give me the how. It’s just a matter of walking so closely to Him that I hear His voice guiding my steps. that gives me such comfort to know He is my strategy.

God calls us to walk by faith and not by sight. For over a year now, I’ve been asking God to direct me. His gentle answer is Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” God is far more concerned about our hearts than He is anything else. Our job is one of obedience. Just as the disciples left their nets and their fathers and their vocations, God calls us to obedience. He wants to know if we are willing to leave behind the safety and security and follow Him wholeheartedly. Look at Abraham. Abraham’s most precious gift was his son, Isaac. God called him to sacrifice His son. Abraham obeyed, and God provided. Joseph walked in obedience through years of imprisonment until God elevated his position. All throughout scripture, small acts of obedience led to miracles. They weren’t always instantaneous, but God always rewards our obedience.

Where’s your heart? Is it intent on seeking God? Is it intent on acts of obedience? Is God calling you to a greater purpose? You can trust Him…and so can I.