nd what it is--there is some power in him!" Simon's
wife entered.

"Here is food for you," said Simon, as his wife set a bowl of boiled
fish on the table. Hungry from his trip across the lake, Philip
gratefully moved to the rough bench in front of the table and began to
eat.

After a while he asked, "Then you know this Rabbi well?"

"Yes," answered Simon. "He has been down on the lake shore every day
this week. I have been with him most of the time."

"Doesn't that take a good deal of time away from fishing?" observed
Philip.

"Yes, some," replied Simon. "We do some fishing early in the mornings.
But it is true that we don't do very much."

Philip was thoroughly puzzled by now. Simon had always been a hard
worker. But Philip could not think of a way to ask why his friend had
changed. For a while Simon remained silent. Nervously his foot stirred
the palm fronds that covered the floor. "You see, Philip," he finally
said very hesitantly, "I have really stopped fishing. I am now a
follower of Jesus."

Philip was dumfounded. "You mean you aren't working with Andrew and
James and John any more?"

"They have left Zebedee too," answered Simon.

"What in the world...." blurted Philip. He stopped short. "How are you
going to feed your wife and children?" he asked.

Simon looked at Philip frankly. "I do not know, Philip," he said, his
voice firm. "But this one thing I am sure of: I cannot turn back from my
decision to go with Jesus wherever he goes. I believe in him and am
willing to do anything for him."

Philip knew there was no use protesting further. Simon had told him what
he intended to do. What could he say? Finally he asked, "When can I hear
your Rabbi teach?"

"He will be in the synagogue tomorrow," replied Simon. "I am sure you
will understand why I feel this way," he added very earnestly.

On Sabbath morning the streets which Philip had found so silent the
evening before were filled with people. From every part of Capernaum
they climbed to the place where the synagogue stood. It was on the
highest hill in the city, because no building was more important to the
people than their place of worship.

Simon and Philip came hurrying with the crowd. At the door of the
synagogue they stopped to catch their breath and looked at the lake
below them. The water lay still and smooth in the morning light, but no
one knew better than the fishermen how quickly a wind storm could sweep
down the ravines between the hil