I find when I consider the call of the Lord that I start in the wrong order. I start with "will I leave everything and follow Jesus?," as it says of Peter in Luke 5:11. But reading the story of His calling again today, I see that that is the end of the story, not the beginning. Three things I see from their very first interaction tell me much about why the Lord was willing to call him. And these three things have to be in place first, before I need to entertain the question (should the Lord ask), "Will you leave everything and follow Me?"
1: Peter didn't withhold what the Lord asked for, even when he was exhausted
“and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.”
Luke 5:2-3 NASB
Peter had been fishing all night. And yet when Jesus asked to use his boat, Peter was willing to stop cleaning his fishing nets and give what Jesus asked for. Peter was willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of Christ, so that many others might be blessed.
2: Peter humbled himself and obeyed in even the area where he had the expertise
“When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered and said, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets."”
Luke 5:4-5 NASB
Peter was the professional fisherman. Yet he clearly saw that God was with this Man, Jesus. So he didn't assert his supposed expertise, but instead humbled himself in the presence of a godly servant. This shows me very clearly what he thought of himself and his own knowledge, and where that fell in his list of priorities.
3: Peter was keenly aware of his own unworthiness
“But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"”
Luke 5:8 NASB
In the light of the Lord's manifested power, Peter did not have a grabbers attitude -- what can I get for myself from this man of God -- but rather a sense of his own unworthiness. He did not assume he deserved favor from Jesus; he was honest about his sin and plainly confessed it.
It is only AFTER seeing these three things that Jesus invites Peter to be a disciple, telling him that he'll be a fisher of men. I had never really seen that so clearly before, that the call of the Lord came after he had seen Peter's response to His power and favor. The Lord wasn't working from no information about Peter; He had seen three very important traits before He called him.
Let these be found in me as well, dear Lord, that I might be fit for Your calling and choosing. Before I ponder on the hypothetical "would I leave everything to follow Jesus as Peter did," I want to seek to meet the conditions I see in Peter, that the Lord find me worthy of the call.