Philistine sailor: “That is true. Are you looking for a job?”
Peter: “Yes.”
“I will take you on, if you wish. I can see that you are a clever sailor” said the owner.
“I instead will take you.”
219. Bartholomew tells what happened… «Simon then, smiling, went towards two men who had sat down perspiring on a huge bale they could not lift on to the boat, and he said: “It’s heavy, isn’t it?.”
“It’s not so much its weight, as the fact that we are tired. And we have to complete the loading, because that’s what the owner wants. He wants to sail when the sea is calm, because this evening the sea will be rough and he must be beyond the rocks to be out of danger.”
“Rocks in the sea?”
“Yes, over there, where the water foams, a nasty spot.”
“Currents, eh? Of course! The south wind blows round the promontory and collides with the current there…”
“Are you a sailor?”
“A fisherman, a fresh water fisherman. But water is always water and wind always wind. I have finished up in the water more than once myself and my catch went back into the lake. Our trade is a good one but can be also unpleasant. There is no place entirely bad and no race entirely cruel. With a little good will it is always possible to come to some agreement and one finds out that there are good people everywhere. Come on! I want to give you a hand” and Simon called Philip saying: “Come on, you will catch the load there, I will catch it here and these good people will lead us over there, to the boat, and down to the holds.”
The Philistines were rather unwilling, but then they allowed them to help. After putting the bale in its place, and others, which were on the bridge as well, Simon began to praise the boat, as he only knows how, and he praised the sea, the town that was so beautiful as seen from off shore and he took an interest in navigation and in foreign towns.
And they were all round him, thanking him and praising him… Until one asked him: “But where are you from? From the Nile area?”
“No, from the sea of Galilee. But as you can see I am not a tiger.”
“That is true. Are you looking for a job?”
“Yes.”
“I will take you on, if you wish. I can see that you are a clever sailor” said the owner.
“I instead will take you.”
“Me? But did you not tell me that you want a job?.”
“That is true. My work is to take men to the Messiah of God. You are a man. So you are work for me.”
“But I am a Philistine!.”
“And what does that mean?.”
“It means that you hate us, that you have persecuted us from time immemorial. Your chiefs have always said so…”
“The Prophets, eh? But now the Prophets are voices which no longer shout. Now there is only the great holy Jesus, He does not shout, but calls people with a friendly voice. He does not curse, He blesses. He does not cause misfortunes, but removes them. He does not hate and does not want anyone to hate. On the contrary He loves everybody and He wants us to love also our enemies. In His Kingdom there will no longer be winners and losers, free men and slaves, friends and enemies. There will no longer be such distinctions which hurt, which are the consequence of human wickedness; but there will be only His followers, that is people who live in love, in freedom, in the victory over everything which is burdensome or sorrowful. I beg you. Please believe my words and desire Him. The prophecies were written. But He is greater than the Prophets and prophecies are obliterated for those who love Him. See this beautiful town of yours? You would find it much more beautiful in Heaven, if You went so far as to love our Lord Jesus, the Christ of God.” That is what Simon was saying and he was simple and inspired at the same time and everybody listened to him diligently and respectfully.»
