“As Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers…
Simon (called Peter) and Andrew …They were fishermen.
Jesus said to them, ‘Come, follow Me! I will teach you to catch people instead of fish.’
As Jesus went on, he saw two other brothers, James and John…
They were in a boat with their father, preparing to go fishing.
He called them and they immediately left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.
Jesus went all over Galilee.”
Matthew 4:18-21
Two sets of brothers out fishing. One set with their dad, one set apparently on their own in their boat. Different boats. Different dads. Same body of water, the same day, the same activity, and having separate, similar encounters with Jesus. The two sets of sons shared the same response to this Stranger’s simple invitation. One father watched his sons leave him as they got out of his boat and walked away with this Stranger. The other father was apparently absent. . .the sons on their own.
The writer does not elaborate about the fathers’ reactions, one present, one absent, but there certainly must have been some kind of response, whether internally or verbally, to this unusual disruption to the two fishing routines of their respective sons. The courses of those sons lives would be forever changed as the young men walked away from what “had been” and follow the Footsteps of Jesus and the change of Course He had prepared for them.
In Bible-times, fathers had a lot of authority in their families . . . a son being called away by a
Man outside of their family would not have been typical. Whatever internal struggles may have been going on in that daddy’s heart is not mentioned. He watched his sons drop what they had always done together and walk away, following this Man Who had called them to follow Him for a very different kind of “fishing.”
It’s not easy as a parent to let go of what “has always been” in their family’s life. From birth,
fathers have hopes and dreams for their sons’ and daughters’ futures. Good fathers have
invested their hearts, time, love, and encouragement in their child’s life. Their child carries a
part of his/her father into their future.
There is a spiritual piece of each child’s life that is also in each parent’s heart and thoughts.
We can love, teach, model, and train our child in God’s Ways, but we do not have control of that piece of our child’s life. That rests in God’s Hands.
Jesus did not speak with those two daddys first. He spoke directly to the sons. Parents cannot control the spiritual life of our children. We can teach, train, model, and invest in their spiritual lives, but ultimately, there will be a Day when Jesus Himself invites that child to follow Him. It is between Him and that son or daughter we love so much. Jesus did not talk with those fathers about details, nor permission, nor of the Plan for their sons’ futures. He spoke directly to the sons. Each personally responded . . . and followed. No information is given concerning going back home to say good-bye or grab something to bring for the unknown journey ahead. No mention is made of saying “Good-bye” to Dad or Mom….friends or siblings. Personal decisions to follow Jesus, wherever that may lead, come down to One-on-one choices.
There were two fathers. . . one present, one absent, but the interactions with Jesus were
between Him and the sons.
Jesus always makes it personal . . . between Him and “me”. . . The Path upon which each of us will walk with Him will be personal. Unique. Individual. Not the same as anyone else’s experience with Him. And the way God will interact with each of our children will be unique as well. He does not ask our permission concerning the Path He plans for our child. We have to let go, and trust Him to lead each of them.
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