Surely you have heard that popular phrase before. Consider it in relation to this interesting story regarding Peter’s call to follow Christ.
In Luke chapter 5 we read the story of Jesus, while standing by the Lake Gennesarat (aka the Sea of Galilee), preaching from Peter’s boat (Simon at the time). After finishing His message He told Peter to take the boat on out to deeper waters to do a little fishing. Peter, a professional fisherman responded by saying, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” The result was a tremendous catch of fish – so many as a matter of fact that it filled both boats to the point where they were about to sink.
After witnessing this miracle Peter was ready to follow Jesus. The Bible tells us that he exclaimed, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” When Jesus heard his repentant response He called him to follow Him and become a fisherman of a different kind – “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” Once on the shore, Peter left everything and followed Christ.
There’s more to this story though. This wasn’t Peter’s first encounter with Jesus. It wasn’t even his first encounter with Jesus performing a miracle; not even the first miracle that directly involved and affected Peter. In the previous chapter we read about Jesus going to the home of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law, who apparently lived with them, was very ill with a fever (no mother-in-law jokes at this time). They asked Jesus to help her and He rebuked the fever and it left her. Immediately she got up and began serving them.
This miracle did not cause Peter to repent in front of Jesus, resulting in his calling. Maybe it took more than one incident, miracle. Maybe it took a different kind of incident. We do not know exactly how these two miracles worked together in impacting Peter or if they did at all. What we see though is that different things or combinations of things affect different people in various ways. God knows this and will work in lives what is needed to draw us to Him.