And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
Luke 5:6–7
Looking at Peter’s encounter with Christ in Luke 5:1–11, we have already asked, “How do we respond to failure?” (vv. 1–2), and “How do we respond to authority?” (vv. 3–5). A third question we can draw from this passage is, “How do we respond to success?”
As Peter obeyed the word of the Lord, he discovered that the Lord is able to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). The catch of fish was so great that the nets began to break, and even after calling for help, both boats began to sink under the weight of the blessing.
Success is a tricky thing for many of us. It can lead to pride—causing us to think that we accomplished something in our own strength. It can cause us to lose sight of the One who is the true source of every blessing. It can even isolate us, making us pull away from others. But Peter’s response is very instructive.
First, he reached out to others for help, which allowed them to share in the blessing. Scripture teaches this principle throughout both the Old and New Testaments (Genesis 12:2; Acts 20:35; Luke 6:38).
Next, Peter was humbled by the goodness of the Lord toward him. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Peter saw himself clearly in the light of God’s grace, and he responded, “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’” When we catch even a glimpse of the goodness, greatness, and glory of the Lord, there is no room for pride, arrogance, or self. We see this clearly illustrated in Isaiah 6.
Lastly, we read in verse 9: “For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken.” Obedience to the Lord results in lives that testify to the greatness of our God—and that testimony overflows to others!
Anchor For Today:
All of this happened because Peter’s response to the Lord’s authority was, “At Your word.” What is our response to the Word of God today?