Be an agent of change

The popular singer/song writer John Mayer sings a very interesting song entitled, ‘Waiting on the World to change’. Well, do you really think that we can afford to sit around and wait on the world to change? I don’t think so. We have to be the change we want to see in the world and we have to be change agents. The text in Luke 5: 1 -11 presents us with the challenge of changing the world by fishing and serving for people.

Quite frankly, fishing for fish sounds easier! Changing our world means changing the hearts and minds of people towards service delivery. How will we do that in this day and age when there are so many powerful distractions leading people away from community values and good citizenship.

Simon Peter could not understand why he should drop his nets once again into waters where he had fished all night and had not caught one fish! Jesus told him, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

Peter surely must have thought, “How can this carpenter tell me how to fish? I am a fisherman. I fish for a living!.” Rather reluctantly, Peter does as Christ urges him to do.

Easier said than done! We are just ordinary people and there are people – eating sharks out there! How will we get anyone to listen? We have no power! We have no clout! The Biblical record is replete with heroes of the faith who felt they had no power and no clout. The fact of the matter is that He calls everyday, ordinary people to do the serving and fishing.

Not because of our qualifications, not because we are the most capable, not because of our character and not even because of our potential. Our calling to serve is as unpredictable as it is unmerited. He calls ordinary people to do extraordinary acts of faith. We can do it!

There is an eschatological urgency here in the text. No time to tarry about doing community work. Don’t be afraid! Stop procrastinating! Procrastination is a killer. The first step of overcoming procrastination is to eliminate all excuses for not taking immediate action. Therefore, I agree with Edward Hale, who declared, “I cannot do everything, but still I can do something, and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” Therefore, we can get on with it! We are ordinary but on the way to be extraordinary for the cause of serving the community.

Peter and the other fishermen left their boats that were filled with all those fresh fish, waiting to be fried or broiled or baked! If we are faithful to the call to be servants fishers of people, what can we expect out of life! The large catch of fish reminds us that there’s abundant blessings to those who serve the community. Serving is not just about sacrifice and suffering. Yes, we will do our share of sacrificing and at times we will even do our share of suffering along the way.

Peter was reminded that when he served that there was abundance - abundant love, grace, protection, favour, mercy and resources.

We can’t keep on waiting for the world to change. We have to be the change that we want to see in this world and we have to be world’s change agents! ‘Do you have any fish?’ And they said no. He did not advise them to change the river instead he advised them to cast the nets deeper. Put out into deep water! Anticipate through serving in 2021 a big catch.

Then just look around you and see how the world is beginning to change!

In conclusion, according to John Mason, “small changes make a big impact, the only place to start is where you are.”