Read: Luke 5:1–11
Simon Peter was a fisherman, not a religious scholar or spiritual leader. He spent his days on the water, working long nights and doing his best to get by. So, when Jesus stepped into his boat and began teaching, it probably felt more like an interruption than a holy moment.
When Jesus finished, he told Simon Peter to push out and lower the nets again. Simon Peter had already tried and come up empty after a long night of work, but he obeyed anyway. What happened next was overwhelming—he caught so many fish that the nets began to tear.
Simon Peter’s first reaction wasn’t celebration; it was confession. He fell to his knees and asked Jesus to leave. Not because he didn’t believe, but because he felt unworthy. That miracle exposed the gap between who he was and who he thought he needed to be.
But Jesus didn’t walk away. He looked Simon Peter in the eye and gave him a calling: From now on, you’ll fish for people. Jesus wasn’t looking for perfection; he was looking for surrender. He saw more in Simon Peter than Simon Peter ever saw in himself.
We often disqualify ourselves before God ever does. We focus on our failures, shortcomings, and doubts. But Jesus sees beyond all of it. He sees who we are becoming. And just like Simon Peter, he invites us to follow.
If you feel like your past or your limitations rule you out, remember Simon Peter. He was unsure, messy, and completely ordinary—yet Jesus chose him.
Today, say yes to whatever God is asking of you. Even if you feel unqualified. Even if it doesn’t make sense. Push out into deeper waters. Obey, and you may just discover he has something bigger in mind.