Charles Schultz conjured up in his mind a fictional character with real life tendencies in his classic comic strip Peanuts. Linus was a boy who never wanted to leave his favorite blanket, finding comfort from this childhood possession. Today, infants have similar habits, becoming attached to binkies, serving as a calming device to produce sleep. Despite purging closets each spring, most adults aren’t willing to let go of sentimental items, keeping a few like a security blanket from your past.
Peter was a professional fisherman whose new acquaintance introduced himself as a carpenter. Luke 5:1-11 recounts this first meeting as Peter listens to Jesus speak after a long night of work. Despite his initial hesitation, Peter is willing to trust someone from another occupation, based upon a gut feeling within his heart, Luke 5:6. Subsequently, Peter reached a point of conviction, guilty of holding on to traditions instead of faith. By the end of this passage, each member of his crew was touched by God, leaving everything they knew behind, letting go of their security blankets.
I’m not sure if its my ego, pride or stubbornness, but I find it hard to completely change the routines I have set in life. Sure, every New Year’s provides a tempest, the perfect conditions to rededicate one’s life. Nonetheless, the fear of uncertainty prevents permanent transformation from occurring. Thus, when the going get’s tough, people fall back on what they know instead of following the advice of strangers. This reality of life fulfills the words of Proverbs 27:19, “as water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.” May the example of these fishermen inspire others to forgo the security blankets of their past with a faith for the future.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 