Fishermen Casting Their Nets

Lesson on Fishermen Casting Their Net

Have you ever wondered about the practical application of the Savior's teaching regarding fishermen casting their net? This terrific series of photos was taken in St. Lucia on our most recent mission tour. Note how strong the bodies of these men become as day by day they go about their work. Also note the fabulous catch they made as they pulled in their net. We watched them try and second time and come up with only a handful.

Let's look at the actual teaching from the bible:

Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Do these photos help you imagine what was involved in casting a net into the sea?

“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
“And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”

Don't you love the word "straightway." When we are asked to serve, do we go "straightway?" (Which is immediately.)

After the Savior’s Resurrection, Peter and other disciples went “a fishing.” However, “that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.”

He told them to “cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.”

Doesn't the last picture help you imagine what a full net of fishes would look like?

When we study the life of the prophet Joseph Smith, we find similar faith-developing obedience.
Early the next morning after the angel Moroni’s all-night-long visits with him in September 1823, Joseph went to work with his father. Because he had been awake nearly all night, he “found [his] strength so exhausted as to render [him] entirely unable” to perform “the necessary labors of the day.”

Joseph's father told him to return home, and he “started with the intention of going to the house; but … [his] strength entirely failed [him], and [he] fell helpless on the ground, and for a time was quite unconscious of anything.” When he awoke, he “looked up, and beheld the same messenger standing over [his] head, surrounded by light as before.” Joseph was commanded to “go to [his] father and tell him of the vision and commandments which [he] had received.”

Although understandably weary, he obediently “returned (straightway) to [his] father in the field, and rehearsed the whole matter to him.” His father replied “that it was of God, and told [him] to go and do as commanded.” Exhausted but obedient, Joseph then “left the field, and went to the place where the messenger had told [him] the plates were deposited, a journey of several miles.”

Each day we decide what we will do and what we will not do, among myriad of choices. When we choose to obey the commandments (straightway) and cheerfully as our top priority, neither murmuring about nor measuring the things He commands, we become fishers of men (and handmaids of the Lord) and cast our nets on the right side of our own ships. We simply go and do the things the Lord has commanded, even when we are weary, trusting that He will help us to do exactly as He asks. As we do so, the Lord helps our unbelief, and our faith becomes powerful, unshakable, and vibrant much like the picture of the muscles on the fishermen in the second picture.

While in the Liberty Jail, the Prophet Joseph wrote: “Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance [or faith], to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.”

No matter where we live, who we are or what we are doing presently in the Church, there is much about our daily lives that is repetitive and even routine. As we go about this day to day work, we must remain focused and go about doing the things that matter most.

The "must-do" priorities include making room in our lives for the minimum daily requirements of faithful behavior: true obedience, humble prayer, serious scripture study, and service to those around us. No other daily vitamins strengthen the muscles of our faith as fast as these actions. We also must remember that sincere fasting fosters strong faith. Fasting is especially important as we faithfully seek to correct deeply embedded character flaws which go “not out but by prayer and fasting.”

Just as the fishermen developed muscles in day by day work casting and reclaiming their nets, so too is the process of developing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a step-by-step, line-upon-line, and precept-upon-precept process. We promote strengthen our faith when we do what is right. As we do this, increased faith will always follows as a consequence.

If we exercise our faith daily with prayer, study, and obedience, the Savior helps us overcome our unbelief, and our faith becomes a shield to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

Alma taught that we may “withstand every temptation of the devil, with faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Just as the fishermen of the photo can not expect to gather successful piles of gathered fish, we can neither ignore nor reject the essential ingredients of faith and then expect to reap a rich harvest.

The Savior taught us so much about life by His parables and illustrations. The example of casting our nets is rich with lessons of obedience, diligence, and steady work to gain the blessings of not only a rich harvest of fish but strong physical bodies. Steady persistance in obedience and diligence in following Heavenly Father's will yields strong spiritual bodies.