Monday Morning Manna: Spring Break Fishing

It is Spring Break time in Texas. It may freeze again on Easter weekend, but this week the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and the grass is turning green again. What to do with such a time when you are too old to go to the beach, and too broke to go to Spring Training? You figure your income tax to see how much you owe the government! This agonizing process often reminds me of the experience of Jesus, related to paying the Temple tax. Peter was asked if Jesus believed in paying such tax. This led to a conversation between Jesus and Peter, after which, Jesus told Peter to go catch a fish – no big task for a former professional fisherman. So, Peter went fishing with the words of Jesus as his guide – “Lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you” (Matthew 17:27). Some translations call that “piece of money” a “stater” and others call it a “shekel.” Either way, it was enough money to pay the Temple tax for two persons – Jesus and Peter. Come to think of it, perhaps I should go fishing during Spring Break.

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.