August 22, 2026

No Nets Needed

Matthew 4:20 – “At once they left their nets and followed him.”

Simon and Andrew were doing exactly what they had always done, standing in the shallows casting a net into the water, pulling it back, checking the catch, casting again. It was the family trade, the skill passed down, the thing their hands knew how to do without thinking. Then Jesus walked along the shore and said something that had nothing to do with fishing technique or a bigger boat or a better spot to cast from. Follow me, He said, and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew records what happened next in five words. At once they left their nets.

They did not ask to finish the current catch first. They did not propose bringing the nets along just in case the new arrangement did not work out. Something in that moment made it clear the nets belonged to a life they were being called out of, not equipment they would need for the life ahead. Whatever Jesus was calling them toward required empty hands, not a backup plan still coiled and ready on the sand.

Most people carry their own version of those nets, tools that served a purpose once and now sit in the hands out of habit rather than usefulness. An old way of coping that used to feel necessary. A grudge kept close because it once felt like protection. A version of self reliance built during a season when nobody else could be trusted. None of it is inherently evil. It simply does not belong where Christ is leading next, and holding onto it with one hand makes it hard to follow with both.

Simon and Andrew never went back for those nets. Whatever Christ was calling them toward was worth more than anything they left lying on that shore.

Today’s Prayer: Lord, show me what nets I’ve been carrying that don’t belong in the life You’re calling me toward. Give me the willingness to leave them behind and follow You with empty hands. Amen.

Reflection Question: What “net” are you still holding onto, out of habit or fear?