“Common Sense” and Christ’s Command

What have I done today simply because the Lord asked?

–George MacDonald

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
   and lean not on your own understanding.
In all of your ways acknowledge him,
   and he will make straight your paths.
–Proverbs 3:5-6

Much of the time, common sense is a valuable thing.  Growing up with a bright intellect devoid of common sense, I have learned to appreciate its practicality.  Sometimes life’s most puzzling dilemmas are puzzling precisely because we search for a profound solution while a simple answer lies close at hand. But is there ever a time when common sense can actually complicate things?

The fifth chapter of Luke records an episode where common sense and Christ’s command were at odds with each other.  Jesus was teaching from Simon’s boat just off the shore of Lake Genneserat. After he spoke, he told Simon to go out into deep water for a catch of fish. Simon responded, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing (v. 5)!”  Simon’s common sense as a fisherman told him that his failure to catch fish in the night meant that it would be useless to go out and try again so soon after.

Had Simon stuck with his common sense, his boat would have stayed empty and Luke would have written chapter five differently.  But Simon decided to let the command of Christ override his common sense. After lamenting the night’s failed effort, Simon continued: “But at your word I will let down the nets.”

At your word…

Simon would go on to make some colossal mistakes in his walk with Jesus, but here he got it exactly right.  He chose the risk of obedience to a command he didn’t understand over the safety of the common sense he did.  Luke reports the result of that obedience: “And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish, and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them (vs. 6-7).”  Simon and his partners went from empty nets to breaking nets by obeying a command that made no sense, let alone common sense.  The success of their labor was not due to following a favorable forecast, but by following their Lord’s word.

There is a lot to be said for common sense even in the spiritual life. But ultimately, we who trust Christ as our savior are also called to obey him as our Lord.   This obedience means being called at times to follow Jesus in doing something or going somewhere that may not make sense to us.  A call to change careers, move to another city, reconcile with an estranged friend or family member or speak an uncomfortable word can hit our common sense head-on.  It is at those times we can remember what happened when Simon went with Christ instead of common sense.

To be sure, most of the time our task is to make our own decisions with prudence and biblical wisdom. Common sense is not always opposed to these things.  But for many, there will come a time when Christ will test the limits of our commitment to him by calling us down a path we would never take ourselves.  Pride and anxiety will creep in to keep us anchored to our common sense.  Thankfully, the Word of God provides us with ample evidence that obedience triumphs over common sense every time.

Did it make sense for Abraham to leave Ur for an unknown destination?  Did it make sense for him to lay Issac on the altar as a sacrifice?  Did it make sense for the Hebrews to follow a man they barely knew out of an oppressive but familiar land?  Did it make sense for Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan?  Did it make sense for Hosea to marry a prostitute?

Yet in each of these instances (and many others) God gave the command for these seemingly senseless things to be done.  If you know the stories, you know the endings.  Abraham received a promise, Issac lived, the Hebrews entered the Promised Land, Naaman was cleansed from leprosy, and Hosea powerfully modeled the relationship between God and His bride, Israel.

And Peter caught more fish than he could handle.

Perhaps now is the time to examine the fruitfulness of our life in Christ.  If we find ourselves complacent, lethargic or unproductive as disciples, perhaps it is time to ask ourselves what guides and drives us more: common sense or the command of Christ?  Obedience to Jesus doesn’t make life smooth, effortless or instantly gratifying.  But the promise we can take to the bank is this: Obedience to Jesus will bear great fruit in our lives…if only we will take the risk.