Page 78 of Steinbeck
“Beautiful morning for catching fish.”
“Any luck yet?”
“It’s not luck.It’s Providence.Whatever God decides to give me.”He glanced over.“So far, just a couple near catches.We’ll see what the day brings.You from around here?”
“On vacation.I think.”
“You’re not sure?”
“I guess it’s more like a time-out.”
“Name’s Judah,” the man said and held out his hand.
“Steinbeck.”
“Really?Great author.I lovedThe Grapes of Wrath.A great story about the struggle to survive during the Great Depression.And man’s need to find meaning in life.‘Muscles aching to work, minds aching to create beyond the single need—this is man.’”
“He’s not wrong.”
Judah grunted.
“You disagree?”
“I think meaning is inherent in our birth.It’s the pride of man to think he has to carve it out himself.We surrender, and God carves it out.”He fixed his line and set his rod into the tube.“It’s like my hook.It’s been set out there.The fish find it.It’s not what it does but what itisthat matters.”
“Is this like inThe Matrixwhen the boy tells Neo ‘There is no spoon’?”
“Oh, there’s a spoon.But perhaps the spoon puts too much meaning into being the spoon.It doesn’t matter how beautiful the spoon is.Just that it’s able to be used.”
“I’ve met Socrates on the beach.”
Judah laughed.“Ever hear the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand?”
“Sure.Five loaves and two fish?It’s a great story of God’s provision.”
“And a story of how the disciples missed the point.”
Steinbeck frowned.
“Right before this, Jesus had called them to ministry, given them power to drive out demons and heal the sick, and sent them out.They returned, and the next thing that happened was the miracle of the five and two.But that’s not the point.Jesus had already equipped them to heal and drive out demons, and yet they come to Him and say, ‘Hey, feed these people.’And Jesus turns to them and says, ‘Youfeed them.’And all they can think is,With what?”
Stein said nothing.
“See, they saw themselves as not enough.Even though they walked and talked with Jesus and had been called by Jesus, they didn’t see themselves as empowered.And yet, they’d already been about the task of ministry.They’d already surrendered whatever life they’d had to be obedient to Jesus, and He’d equipped them, so they understood what it meant to walk into purpose and meaning, to fight evil and win.”
Stein couldn’t move.
Judah glanced at his line tugging against the waves.Stein’s was tugging too, but nothing resembling a bite.
Judah kept talking.“Although the disciples had gone out and done the big, tough things, when they returned, they thought their mission had ended.But Jesus was still calling them to believe.To trust in His power to do great things.Even something as ‘simple’”— he finger quoted the word—“as feeding people.”He fixed his brown eyes on Stein.“The failure of the disciples was that they looked at themselves and said...‘Not enough.’But Jesus asks us to look at Him and hear...‘By my strength.’”
Steinbeck’s line jerked.Judah held out his hand.“Hold.Let’s see what happens.”
It jerked again.
“Okay, grab it up.”
Stein took the pole, stood up, started to reel.
