Guess What? I Don't Know Everything!

 

Did you get that? I do NOT, in fact, know everything.

I am very embarrassed to admit this.

Okay. Okay. You can stop laughing now.

I know you're probably saying, "Duh, Christie. Obviously you don't know everything. NO ONE does."

But here's the thing: I like to think I know everything. Or at least most things.

I mean, don't you?

(image from http://darleneanitascott.wordpress.com/)

I prefer to think I'm smart and know the answers.

Yes, I was that kid in school. The one with her hand up when the teacher asked a question, jumping and going, "Oooh! Oooh! Pick Me! ME! I  know!"

But I just had a little rude awakening. Yesterday I read Luke 5:1-11. This is the story of the calling of Peter, James, John and Andrew.

"Calling of the Fisherman" Harry Anderson http://www.dst-corp.com

This lesson just showed up last week at the kids' class I teach at the chapel. I've done it before: you make a fish craft; you sing "Fishers of Men," et cetera.

So when I saw that this was the Bible readng,I said to myself, "I know this one. Like I told the kids: The disciples weren't catching anything so Jesus told them to let down their nets on the other side and then they had lots of fish. Then they all left their nets and followed Him."

Then I read it:

¹ One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around Him and listening to the word of God, ² He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.
⁴ When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
⁶ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.

Okay. Whoops.

I realized  I had taught the kids the wrong story! The "Let down your nets on the other side" thing didn't happen until after the Resurrection! This story wasn't the same at all!

Now, maybe you think that's a ridiculous distinction; after all, it was still about the disciples catching a bunch of fish after following Jesus' instructions.

But I thought I knew what I was talking about. And it turns out I didn't.

It's like when that kid waves and waves his hand at the teacher until she finally calls on him and then he gets the answer wrong.

Ouch.

This is just another example of God showing me I don't have all the answers.

The disciples weren't able to catch any fish until they had listened to Jesus' teaching and then  followed His instructions.

Just like I should be doing.

Right after I apologize to all those kids.....