Born for Significance: Advancement and HonorSample

Kindness, Repentance, and Honor

Peter (also called Simon) is a favorite character in Scripture for many of us. Perhaps it’s because we can so easily identify with his blunders. Toward the beginning of his journey with Jesus, he had an unusual experience while fishing.

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”  —Luke 5:4–10

Jesus gave direction on where to fish. Peter obeyed and caught more than he could handle, forcing him to call for help from other boats. This miracle caused Peter to drop to his knees in repentance. I remind you that Peter was a fisherman. Catching and selling fish was his business. Jesus gave him such an abundance of fish to sell in his business that he had to share with other businessmen. It was the honor of abundance that brought Peter to repentance. There’s no record of Jesus preaching to Peter at this moment. He didn’t point out what needed to change. Jesus simply introduced Peter to a kingdom beyond anything he had ever seen or experienced before. And he was willing to forsake all to embrace it.

The final thought for this story is that the extreme abundance of fish would forever be etched into Peter’s mind as the standard for the harvest of souls. First is the natural, then the spiritual. (See 1 Corinthians 15:46.) Jesus taught him about abundance in the natural to give him faith and an example of the spiritual fulfillment for which he was born. Natural lessons are extremely important, but it’s crucial they don’t end there. They are pathways to true spiritual realities and breakthroughs.