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As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James, son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. —Matthew 4:21 (NRSV)

As he went a little farther, he saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. — Mark 1:19 (NRSV)

Abraham Heschel liked to tell the story about God gathering the angels around Him each morning and asking one simple question: “Where does my Creation need mending today?”

Friends: When I came across this story recently, it affected me profoundly. I was reminded of a time in my life when I was in my mid-20s, just eking out an existence as a deckhand on a shrimp and fishing boat. Our waters were Corpus Christi Bay—and anywhere else the Texas Parks and Wildlife might not catch us. I remember the smell of the salt water, the mist of the sea, and the unique smell of the diesel engine geared up for travel… as we would leave the docks just in time to lower our nets at the moment of sunrise (Texas law).                                                                                                                         I remember when Buddy Salazar—the captain and owner of the shrimp boat—would mend the nets when they were torn. I never learned how to mend nets, either shrimp nets or gill nets. What I did learn was that torn nets meant we had fished, shrimped, and worked until our bodies were completely worn out. I have worked physically hard in my life.                                                                 To this day, that year when I “lived on the water” was the hardest.

Torn nets need mending.
Torn lives need mending.
Torn relationships need mending.
Torn churches need mending.
Torn Sunday School classes need mending.
Torn souls need mending.

But who will do the mending? I believe the One who truly owns the boat—or better yet, the One who created the boat and the nets—is the only One who can truly mend souls, bodies, minds, and even relationships… if we are willing to risk letting the Master do the mending.

I would watch Buddy mend the nets. Where they were torn, he would not simply repair the damaged area. He would strengthen that larger spot to make sure it would hold the next time it was used.    (Hint… hint… hint.)                                                                              

Friends: It is all right to let the One who made you mend you. Ready? I am. And remember—God can also use others in the mending process. (Originally written June 2007)

Blessings from Pottsboro (alegria@lakewayumc.org)