To The Right!

“Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. John 21:6 csb

My little brother is left-handed, the only one in our family like that. I remember as a child trying to switch from using my right hand to my left, just to see if I could write as well with my left hand. It didn’t take long to discover—I’m not ambidextrous! Using my left hand felt unnatural and awkward. And I’m not alone in feeling that way; only about 10% of the population are left-handed.

After Jesus’ resurrection, He spent time revealing Himself to people across Israel. Peter and the other disciples, who were fishermen by trade, went back to their boats. They didn’t know what else to do, so they returned to what was familiar—fishing. It was their comfort zone, something they knew well. But as the text tells us, despite fishing all night, they caught nothing.

Then, Jesus appeared on the shore and told them to cast their nets again—this time on the right side of the boat.

Now, I can’t say for certain, but it’s likely Peter and the others were right-handed. As fishermen, they were probably used to throwing the nets over the left side of the boat, using their stronger right hand to toss them into the water. Jesus’ instruction to cast the nets on the right side would have forced them to use their left hands—a motion that was probably uncomfortable and unnatural for them.

Jesus was preparing to commission His disciples to go into the world, and His commands often challenge what feels natural to us. Loving our enemies, forgiving those who hurt us, and surrendering control to Him are just a few examples of how His ways are contrary to our flesh.

Jesus never wasted a teaching moment. I believe He used this experience to show the disciples—and us—that serving Him will often take us out of our comfort zones. It won’t always make sense, and it won’t always feel easy. But when we trust and obey, just like the disciples who caught an overwhelming number of fish, we too will experience blessings beyond measure.

Agape, Frank