One in a crowd (Luke 5:2,3)

and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. (Luke 5:2, 3 NASB)

Little Jewish boys in the first century started their education in the local synagogue. Those who were the brightest and best stayed in school and eventually became rabbis or scribes, Pharisees or Saducees. They were the religious scholars of the day. Those who were not "top of the class" eventually left school to become tradesmen. Peter had left to become a fisherman. He may have always wanted to fish, and it may have fulfilled a lifetime dream, but on the days when he worked as hard as he could, casting the net for hours without a single fish, it probably looked less appealing. He may have wished he'd stayed in school. Maybe he wished for a change. You may say that is just "thinkology" but events in a few verses will show that he quickly embraced change when the opportunity arose. 

Perhaps there was something in the way he was cleaning his nets that suggested to Jesus that Peter might be ready for something else. Regardless, there were two boats and two sets of fishermen, but the fisherman He addressed that day was Peter. 

Peter was not just a stinky fisherman and he was not just one of a crowd to Jesus. Our Lord saw him as one IN a crowd. He saw Peter as an individual and spoke directly to him.  This tired, dirty, smelly, frustrated man was not too tired, dirty, smelly, or frustrated for Jesus. What good news that is for us! No matter our current condition, we are not too terrible for Jesus. He can change everything in a moment, if we are willing. 

Today, pray that Jesus will look past our personal heart condition to see the person He intended us to become and that He will move in us to make us more like Him. Pray, too for our loved ones to be so weary in their wandering that they are ready to be found. May the call of Jesus come quickly and the response be prompt.