A fish out of water

Today, while walking the pier with my 7-year-old daughter Varonika, we caught a glimpse of an unusual experience for us.

There were people on the pier fishing, as usual. The difference is that this time, one of the lines that was in the water was yanking this way and that. The man whose line it belonged to jumped up and ran over. Much to his surprise, there was a huge catfish on the line, thrashing about in the water in a vain attempt to get free. The other people who were on the pier near him ran over, sensing something big. We ran over too, because it looked like he and his friend were shocked at what they were looking at over the edge.

He hesitated to pull the line in because he thought it would break under the weight of the big fish. The pier is about 10-12 feet above the water. His concern was understandable. After all, he’d have to pull the big fish up ever so carefully in order not to break the line.

With encouragement from the others, one of whom said “I knew I should have bought my net!” he was able to gingerly and gently lift the fish out of the bay without breaking his line. Cheers followed. Everyone was excited. The fishermen who had gathered stood marveling at how the hook was in the fish’s mouth. I didn’t know what they were talking about. I don’t fish.

Anyway, Varonika and I had an interesting experience on our morning walk.

It got me to thinking about what I read in the Bible book of Matthew just the other day. Soon after being baptized, Jesus went to the sea where he saw two fishermen, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, casting their nets. He said to them,

It’s intriguing to me that,

Just like that. No questions asked. No explanations needed. No, “I’ll get back to you Jesus, let me check in at home with the family, have a chat with my friends to see if being your disciple is a good idea…”

He asked, they answered. That’s big.

I think I’m more like the catfish I saw this morning being pulled from the bay kicking and screaming. I know I have an invitation from the Lord. The invitation is to come home, to be a disciple of truth, which will enable me to live an exceedingly better life, following the path of love and compassion set by Christ.

Yet, I’m not always willing. I’m reluctant to leave my surroundings, even when I’m being drawn higher. When I’ve been hooked and engaged by the most masterful Fisherman of them all, I try to pull away, break free and swim in the other direction. The difference is that the Great Fisherman is drawing me to life. The hook is the hold God has on me and won’t ever let go of. I feel the gentle pull, drawing me higher ever so gently and gingerly, yet I still find myself sometimes resisting, even in the presence of my deep desire and longing to draw closer.

I’m only fighting myself. I’m a fish out of water, flipping and flapping around, just like the catfish.

When I try, in a vain attempt, to resist the upward pull of Life, the invitation, the draw to higher living, I suffer. I’m a fish out of water.

When I respond to the invitation to come up higher, to come to a new level of living, to draw closer to the Omnipotent One, I prosper and thrive.

Yes, seeing that catfish thrashing about today taught me something. I’ll remember him the next time I find myself putting up resistance to the upward pull of Life.

Love,
Valerie

Tags: life lessons