Mark 1:16-20 | Psalm 8:1-4
There are more details to this scene. There must be, right?
Mark moves quickly and only gives details pertinent to the thesis statement we read yesterday: “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
At this point, four individuals apparently have enough info from Jesus - from his words, actions, demeanor, and perhaps other factors unknown to us from the text - to follow him immediately. They had been throwing and mending their nets. They leave behind their family and vocational calling (fishing) to go with Jesus and fish for people.
Fishing is not an evil vocation. It is worthy and useful. It provides food for people. But there is much that goes into catching a fish before it can be eaten. Boats, nets, time spent on the water, getting the fish to market, etc. Very little of this can seem directed for or at people.
But for Christ, the end will always be about people.
How much of our vocational effort is spent outside of directly helping or serving people? For many, it’s easy to get caught up in the details and miss the relationship or the human need.
Jesus will never miss the human need.
Mark 1:16-20
As Jesus passed alongside the Galilee Sea, he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, throwing fishing nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” he said, “and I’ll show you how to fish for people.” Right away, they left their nets and followed him. After going a little farther, he saw James and John, Zebedee’s sons, in their boat repairing the fishing nets. At that very moment he called them. They followed him, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers.
Psalm 8:1-4
Lord, our Lord, how majestic
is your name throughout the earth!
You made your glory higher than heaven!
From the mouths of nursing babies
you have laid a strong foundation
because of your foes,
in order to stop vengeful enemies.
When I look up at your skies,
at what your fingers made—
the moon and the stars
that you set firmly in place—
what are human beings
that you think about them;
what are human beings
that you pay attention to them?
Prayer
God,
Thank you for this day you so wonderfully made. For the sun, for air, for food, for rest.
As I go about this day, keep my heart ready to respond to the people around me. Give me eyes for their situations and ears for their words, should they open their mouths. Make my body a satellite dish, perceptive to messages should they come. Give me understanding and insight.
And give me the wisdom to know when to respond, if at all. But through it all, give me the compassion of Christ. For people.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.