A successful businessman from Johannesburg was visiting Kalk Bay when he noticed a local fisherman docking his small wooden boat. Inside, he had a few large yellowtail and snoek.
The Joburger complimented the fisherman on his fresh catch and asked, “How long did it take you to catch these?”
The fisherman replied, “Not too long, just a couple of
hours.”
The businessman asked, “Why don’t you stay out longer
and catch more?”
The fisherman smiled, “This is enough for my family. I
don’t need more.”
The Joburger, puzzled, asked, “But what do you do with
the rest of your time?”
The fisherman giggled, “I sleep in, fish a little,
spend time with my kids, take a midday nap with my wife, walk along the beach,
and in the evenings, I go to the harbour, braai some fish, sip a cold beer, and
play guitar with my mates.”
The Joburger scoffed, “Listen, I run a big company in
Sandton. I could help you. If you spent more time fishing, you could save up
and buy a bigger boat. With that, you’d catch even more fish, sell them
directly to restaurants, then buy more boats and build a whole fleet. Instead
of selling your fish to middlemen, you’d start your own processing company,
eventually supplying all of Cape Town and beyond. You’d need to leave Kalk Bay,
move to the city, and eventually run your empire from Johannesburg.”
The fisherman raised an eyebrow. “And how long will
all of this take?”
The Joburger thought for a moment. “Probably 15 to 20
years.”
“And then?”
The Joburger grinned, “Then, when the time is right,
you’d sell your company for millions, retire, and move to a quiet coastal town
where you could sleep in, fish a little, spend time with your kids, take naps
with your wife, walk on the beach, and in the evenings, braai some fish, sip a
cold beer, and play guitar with your mates.”
The fisherman laughed, shook his head, and paddled off, humming a tune as the sun set over the ocean.
Lessons from this Parable
1. True Life is Not in Abundance of Possessions
Luke 12:15
“Then He said to them, 'Watch out! Be on guard
against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of
possessions.'”
This directly challenges the Joburger’s
mindset - chasing wealth doesn’t guarantee a better life.
2. The Parable of the Rich Fool
Luke 12:16-21
And He told them this parable: 'The ground of a
certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, "What
shall I do? I have no place to store my crops." Then he said, "This
is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I
will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, 'You have plenty of grain
laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink, and be merry.' But God said
to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then
who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with
whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.'
Just like the businessman in the story, the rich man
thought bigger barns (or a bigger fishing business) would give him security,
but Jesus shows that wealth without purpose is meaningless.
3. Gaining the World but Losing Your Soul
Mark 8:36
“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world,
yet forfeit their soul?”
The businessman’s entire plan was about gaining
wealth, but Jesus reminds us that worldly success means nothing if it costs us
our soul.
4. The Trap of Riches
1 Timothy 6:9-10
"Those who want to get rich fall into temptation
and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into
ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced
themselves with many griefs."
The Joburger’s advice reflects the trap of always
chasing more, but the fisherman wisely chooses contentment.
5. Contentment in God, Not Wealth
Philippians 4:11-12
"I have learned to be content whatever the
circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have
plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
The fisherman embodies this kind of peace - content with what he has rather than striving endlessly. Amen