Get Out of That Beach Chair
We made a stop for gas in Southern Louisiana. Vacation was over. Let me repeat that- vacation was over. I was stuck somewhere between I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed and I could totally be a beach-bum artist for the rest of my life. We weren’t even halfway home and I was fretting about the long list of to-dos waiting for me as I walk through the doors of home sweet home.
Culture shift.
Trying to enjoy every last moment of vacation, I daydream out the window. Sleeping in the car isn’t easy for me and anyway, what if I miss something. Even at the gas station – especially at the gas station there was a lot to take in. As we drove off, I noticed a colorful little Cajun crawfish hut and subtly mentioned to Michael, “Louisiana really has its own culture doesn’t it?”
As we said good-bye to beach life and coastal living, we entered Cajun country and then, Texas. As we crossed the border we were met with long-horns and barbecue. It’s crazy how close we can be and yet so dramatically different -the way we live, the food we eat, the traditions we hold. There are all kinds of people out there, living all kinds of life.
All kinds of fish.
With the beach still on my mind, I recall the fishing boats that passed by each day as we listened to the crashing waves and relaxed under our orange and blue umbrellas. The boats moved slowly along the coastline dragging large nets behind them as they made their catch. I’m pretty sure they were shrimp boats, but I imagine the fishermen were catching all kinds of fish.
Inspired by the scenery, I painted a picture of my favorite boat. It was green with a bright white stripe that extended along the side of the hull. It looked as if it floated effortlessly under the blue-gray sky and among the white-capped waves. But I know better. That kind of fishing is hard work.
Just days after we arrived back home and I was still dreaming of being a beach-bum artist, I came across Matthew 13:47. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.”
We are called to fish. We are called to gather fish of every kind. The beach-going kind, the Cajun kind, and the cowboy kind. It doesn’t stop there. What about the colorful kind, or the kind that lives just across the border? And then there is the kind that lives just across the street. So close, yet so different.
I’ve been there. In a culture that is not my own. Where people stare and wonder who the new girl is and why she does the things she does, or looks the way she looks. Maybe you’ve been there too. Different. Distant. Daunted by the unfamiliar.
You’re not alone.
Or perhaps you are on the other side of the fence. Maybe you fit in just fine. It’s comfortable. Until it’s not. Talking past our differences is hard. And growing close to people that are not like you – even harder.
You’re not alone either.
We are fishers of men.
No matter who you are or where you stand, God’s command is the same for those who follow him. We are his disciples. It is our job to cast the net – to tell others about Him. In doing so, we will encounter all kinds of people. Remember, we aren’t just fishing with a pole and worm bait. If that were the case, we would do well to catch but a few kinds of fish, or none at all. It may be easier. It would definitely be more relaxing, and It may well be how we’ve always fished. But it’s not how God commanded us to be fishers of men.
I’ve got to admit the thought of pulling in a massive net full of fish sounds like more work than I have the strength to handle. It is a lot easier to sit in the warm sand with friends like me and watch my favorite fishing boat float by. And better yet, someone else is working hard to catch my dinner for the night.
Get out of that beach chair.
So how do we get out of our comfortable beach chair and onto that fish-catching boat?
God tells us in Luke 5:4-11
“And when he (Jesus) had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.’ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.”
We have to trust God and let down our nets in deep water. In other words, get out of our comfort zone and go where God leads you. His Word will guide you and his Spirit will sustain you.
Cast a net. Expect to pull in all kinds of people. God will do the rest.
Join the conversation.
Is God asking you to get out of your comfort zone so that you can be a better fisher of men?
If so, I am with you! Writing and art. I am not formally trained at either, but God has weighed heavily on my heart to spread his word through the gifts and talents he has given me. I don’t always love it. It gets tough at times. (Just like pulling in that net.) But He is my strength and my guide. He leads me on this crazy path of what ifs.
What if I listen and do exactly as he says? Perhaps my net would be full!
Share your story! Leave a reply below. I would love to pray for you.
Remade,
Becky