The Right Side Hustle

Of all the disciples, the one who might be interested in a side hustle is Simon. His energetic personality, ability to engage with people and knack for uttering a quick retort suggest that if it were a possibility, Peter would jump at the chance.

In fact, he did. In today’s Gospel, he’s out fishing. Jesus then comes along with a possible side hustle, and Peter signs on. Immediately. He falls at the knees of Jesus confessing his unworthiness, lake water dripping from his hair. A fish flops out of a fold in his blousy trousers.

Back on shore, he leaves his father’s business. “I’m in,” he says to Jesus — a virtual stranger. This could be a really interesting gig.  It will be another three years before he ever looks back. And when he does, Jesus finds him, calls him again — not to be a fisher of people, but a shepherd of sheep.

A side hustle is what we used to call a side business, or even a part-time job. The difference between a side hustle and a part-time job is that a side hustle allows you to work from the comfort of your bed. No need to set the alarm clock, jump in the shower and head off to a part-time job at Walmart. You can tap on your tablet, take a bite of scone with clotted Devonshire cream on it, wash it down with a sip of Earl Grey or a tall, non-fat latte with caramel drizzle and then bark out orders and instructions to team members flung around the globe and then check your bank balances.

All this before you report to work at your day job — if you have a day job. More likely, your income is derived from several sources. You are not tethered to a desk.

You might remember when Grandma was selling Avon or holding Tupperware parties.

Grandma might still be selling Tupperware, but chances are that the side hustler you know is a millennial or Gen Y person. Members of Gen Y are facing a whopping $1 trillion in student loan debt, not to speak of other debts. They need more than one income stream. Some estimates suggest that 35 percent of millennials are doing the side hustle, often more than one. They’re involved in business ventures such as Chloe and Isabel, Etsy, User Testing, Zazzle, Fiverr, Vayable, Tradesy and Rover. This is just a small sample of the side hustles out there right now.

Kate Taylor, writing for Entrepreneur, says that “a side hustle is a way to make some extra cash that allows you flexibility to pursue what you’re most interested in. It can also be your true passion — a chance to delve into fashion, travel or whatever it is you care about the most without quitting your day job.”

Perhaps this connects with Simon’s experience.

Here’s a guy whose day job is catching tilapia on the Sea of Galilee. Then Jesus comes along with a side hustle proposal that promises to get Simon off the boat and onto terra firma, mixing with people, being part of a movement, and perhaps, just perhaps, a new political order.

Jesus at this point sounds a lot like many millennials. Think about it. How many millennials about 30 years old do you know who are still sort of finding their way? You can probably name a few and they might be in your own family. Jesus had no doubt dabbled in his dad’s shop and learned how to use a lathe and build stuff.

But Jesus decides to leave the carpentry profession. He doesn’t want any part of Joseph & Sons. He’s not interested in the family business.

So for the next three years, his life is spent on the road, wandering around telling little stories, sometimes getting in trouble with the law — at least the religious law — irritating some people while attracting others because of the way he pokes fun at the establishment and his knack for healing the sick.

His bank balance is zero. He relies on the generosity of people.

You might say that he was the first millennial.

At least he wasn’t living at home with his parents.

Back to Simon. Jesus’ proposal intrigues Simon. Simon’s heart is out with the people, not on a boat! He can always catch fish; Jesus offers Simon a chance to catch people!

Who knew that what started out as a side hustle would turn into a movement such as the world had never known and what today is called Christianity. And Simon was there in the beginning.

His day job was catching fish. Then Jesus called him. And his life was never the same. There’s no indication that Peter was looking for a side hustle. Perhaps we aren’t either. We’re happy with our day job. What we don’t need right now is Jesus to come to us, approaching us with another idea. Don’t need that. Don’t want that – especially since whatever side hustle Jesus is offering us, it probably doesn’t involve income flowing into our pockets. It’s more likely that  Jesus’ side hustle offer is going to cost us.

So Jesus asks Simon to let him into the boat. Simon is going fishing with Jesus. Would you want to spend an afternoon fishing with Jesus? Got to watch the language. No drinking.

But what if Jesus got into your boat?  What if Jesus was nosing into your business? What changes might take place?

The effect on Peter was that he instantly saw his own sinfulness and unworthiness.

But, of course, this was only after Peter recognized that Jesus was the Son of God. It’s quite possible, and even probable, that Jesus is already in our boat, but we really haven’t recognized him. He works quietly. He hasn’t done any flashy miracles like he did for Peter and friends.

If we look carefully, though, we might recognize the work of Jesus in opportunities that come to us in the form of interruptions or a colleague who confides in us. It might have been Jesus giving us a chance to lift up someone’s spirit with a positive word, or heal a wound with a loving gesture.

When Jesus gets into our boats, we will not only sense our unworthiness, and have opportunities to “catch” some human “fish,” but we will begin to understand our lives as miracles of grace. Peter and friends had so much fish, the boats started to sink. They were victims of their own success.

It was at this moment that Jesus was able to get them out of their boats and take them down the road, enrolling them in a three-year training and internship program, which, by the way, they all flunked.

“Put out into the deep water,” Jesus said. Deep water. This can be scary. Their nets grabbed so much fish, the boats began to sink.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we trusted God enough to put out into deep water — where it’s dark and uncertain — and discover, as Peter did, that this is where the fish are, that this is where the blessings are?

Then, there’s another idea: Jesus says, “Let down your nets.” In other words, see what you have.” Jesus didn’t say, “First get yourself a Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 fishing rod.” He said, “Use what you got, and let them down where the fish are. Then you will be successful.”

Too many times we think that to be true followers of Jesus, we need to have special training, special credentials, special tools. No, these guys are fishermen! They don’t have anything fancy. They are using methods time-tested over centuries. Jesus encourages us to use the tools we have. Consecrate those tools to the Lord’s service.

Pastor Roy Almquist says, “On the surface, Luke’s story is about fishing, but I think we know it is really about taking a risk, daring to move out of our comfort zone and to sail into uncharted waters for the sake of Jesus Christ and his Kingdom.

“For many people today Christian community is a hobby or a pastime, rather than a passion and a central source of identity. For many the Church has become a club, rather than a life-defining mission. And if we are not careful we can wake up and find that the Church is just another entry in the date-book of life, on equal footing with the bridge club, the golf game and the Rotary Club.”

So when Jesus gets into your boat and offers you a side hustle, accept it immediately.

Then put out for the deep, take the risk, and use what you have.