We usually think of Jesus as being loving, but very serious in his mission. We seldom think of Jesus as being playful and loving to have fun.
One story in which he was playful occurs after his resurrection. Jesus appeared to the disciples in Jerusalem and told them to go back to Galilee and wait for him there (Matthew 28:16).
The resurrected Christ could have immediately appeared to them in Galilee and instructed them about their all-important mission, but he didn’t. He had a little fun with them first. While they waited for him to arrive, they got hungry and decided to go fishing (John 21:1-14).
They fished all night trying to catch something to remedy their rumbling tummies. In the morning, someone called to them from the shore and asked, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” (John 21:5).
In their despair, they replied that they had been fishing all night long and had caught nothing. The stranger told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. When they did, they ensnared so many fish that they were unable to haul in the net because it was so full of fish. At that point, bells went off in John’s head, remembering the first miraculous catch from three years earlier, after which Peter and probably James and John decided to lay aside their nets and follow Jesus (Luke 5:1-11).
John said to his fellow disciples, “It is the Lord.” (John 21:7).
When John said this, it finally dawned on Peter, who was focused on the impossible job of trying to get a huge haul of fish into the boat, that the stranger was no stranger, but Jesus himself. He put on his clothes, jumped into the water and swam a 100-yard dash fully clothed.
What a scene it must have been to have a soaking wet, exhausted Peter embrace his friend Jesus. They both must have been laughing and giggling as they slapped each other’s backs with water flying everywhere.
When the rest of the disciples managed to get the boat to shore dragging a net full of fish, they had a joyful reunion with Jesus. Jesus already had a fire going with fish cooking and warm bread ready for the starving men. Notice that he did not need the fish they had caught, for he already had fish on the grill. He worked the miracle just for the fun of it. Once again, the professional carpenter had taught the professional fishermen how to fish.
As the other disciples greeted Jesus, Peter drug the full net onto shore. It must have been a knee slapper to have Peter say something like, “That’s a lot of fish.” Jesus would have responded, “Yeah, that’s 153 of the biggest fish you ever saw.” (cf. John 21:11).
Notice how casually Jesus entered the scene. He could have just yelled at them, “It is I, your Lord and Master. Row to shore, I have serious stuff to teach you,” but that is not the way he approached it. He nonchalantly appeared as a stranger, asking about their luck on their fishing expedition, then he worked a mind-blowing miracle, reminding them of the good ole days as he ensured they would have a joyful reunion over the hot meal he had prepared.
Jesus was a happy man who wants to share his laughter with us even if we have been up all night and having no luck at all in life. When we come to him, he becomes soul food to us.
As we fellowship with him, we can know the true joy within which wells up to eternal life.
Dr. Dan Darby is a retired United Methodist pastor.
