A New Perspective on Perspective

I’ve always loved the story from John 21:4 and following which talks about Peter and some other disciples fishing all night and catching nothing. The next morning a “stranger” appears on the shore and asks if they have any meat. They answer back “no” and “the stranger” tells them to cast their nets on the other side. Verse 6 says “so they cast out, and they were not able at all to draw it, for the multitude of fishes.”

One Sunday in church the question was posed, “why did the disciples follow the instruction of a stranger?” Now we all know today that that “stranger” was Jesus, but scripture tells us they didn’t yet know who the "stranger" was yet they followed his instruction anyway. Why? What would motivate a tired, empty boated bunch of fishermen to follow the command of a complete stranger? Could it have been perspective? See the fishermen were in the boat, but the “stranger” was on the shore. He had a totally different view point. He might have seen a huge school of fish. I don’t know, but I do know He always has the perspective I need in my life. I want to walk by sight He wants me to walk by faith.