Empty Boats and Broken People

The New Testament tells of two fishing boats that sat empty by the shores of the sea of Galilee. The fishermen, who were unsuccessful catching anything, were cleaning their nets. Their day began with high hopes of hooking schools of fish but they ended empty handed. No catch and no funny fish tales to tell others. Well, that was the case until the Messiah walked up. 

The Savior saw the barren boats and put them to use. He climbed aboard and used the sea vessels as a podium for speaking to the crowds. Might as well, since the fish weren’t biting.  Right?   

After speaking from the boats He told the professional fisherman to go out one more time and cast their nets. The guys are hesitant to obey a carpenter, a landlubber, but they did. And when it was all said and done they were glad they did. The fish seemed to jump into the nets. In fact, they caught so many fish that the haul almost took the boat down into the sea. Then the Messiah used the miracle as an object lesson to call disciples to be fishers of men.

I find this story refreshing because of how the Savior does the same thing today. Our best efforts, what falls short and leaves us empty, is what He chooses to use. In our weakness He is made strong. 

Torn and tattered lives seem to be the canvas the Almighty chooses to paint His love upon.  I’m thankful for those empty borrowed boats that actually foretold a future empty borrowed tomb. Even humanity’s greatest mistake, the murder of Messiah, was for our good.  The Almighty doesn’t refuse broken people, He uses broken people. And he brings abundance just when we feel like giving up.