Adventures in Peru
By: DCE Dan Hampton
3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
What are you willing to jump for?
Growing up in Indiana, most people watch basketball. My family was no exception; in fact, March Madness is almost a holiday. One of my favorite memories is seeing my mother watch the games. She gets into them especially when it is a team she is rooting for, like Purdue or IU. When they score she is likely found on her feet shouting at the TV. When they make an error, she is once again on the edge of her seat “coaching” them to make better decisions on the basketball floor next time (as if they can hear her).
What about you? What will get you on the edge of your seat ready to jump for joy or exhilaration? For Peter, it was all about Jesus. Not once but twice he jumped out of the boat that he was in so that he could meet the Lord. He showed great enthusiasm to follow Christ.
Several youth and members from our congregation spent 10 days jumping out of the boat in Peru this past July. While there, they were surrounded by the Peruvian culture and languages. Some things are very different from our lives in the United States, but others are just the same.
At one point when our group had challenged the villagers to a futball game, we witnessed several local teens walking around the village checking their Facebook accounts. On the other hand, though the villagers are not impoverished or in need of our saving, their lives are quite different from ours. Still, they live in contentment, knowing that God will continue to provide for everything they need.
How often do we find ourselves just desiring more and more? Or how often do we compare ourselves to the things another person has and wonder why God is blessing them so much more than he is to us?
We spent our week helping the local missionaries add on to an existing church. We placed walls, painted, and mixed concrete. We were quite literally the hands and feet of Jesus. It was difficult for me to watch some of the construction techniques they used, knowing it could be done better with the right amount of materials, but they used everything they had and rejoiced to God. They jumped to their feet to help. I believe they helped us more than we helped them.
May we learn from them. May we find that jumping out of the boat for Jesus doesn’t have to mean going on a big trip to Peru, but it could be something as simple as letting someone go in line before you. God’s desire is for us to follow Him with our whole being. Peter did it. How is God calling you to JUMP out of the boat?
