"Take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money" (Matt. 17:27).
Across the Pacific Ocean, the Mekong River flows through fields and hills of northern Thailand, and it is here that a huge fish, plaa buk by name, provides the natives with some fishing thrills each year.
A fully-grown plaa buk is six to nine feet long and will weigh between 600 and 700 pounds. Though it looks like a small whale, it is a member of the catfish family and its graying-pink smooth skin has no scales. Much of its weight is in its massive wide-mouthed head, from which its body tapers down to a big, upright tail.
To catch one, native fishermen travel together in a dozen or more large dugout canoes to a likely spot. They spread a huge net between two canoes starting at one shore, with another net between two more next to them and perhaps one or two more nets, until they spread across to the opposite side. Then they drift slowly downstream-other members of the party following behind. A net is the only way to catch one of these monsters, for an ordinary fishing line would immediately break, and if one were caught with a strong rope or cable, how would the fisherman ever get it to shore?
After a plaa buk has been caught in one of the nets, the crews get busy, making sure it doesn't escape. The net is drawn to the shore and then floated to a suitable riverside dock where there usually are some excited men, women and children waiting to see the action. They hope they may be given a piece to take home, for it is considered a very tasty treat.
Ropes are attached to the net, and strong men pull the fish from the water onto dry land, where the audience gets a good look at it before sharp axes, machetes and knives cut it up for carrying away.
At times these fish are divided among the people with the fishermen rewarded with the largest portions. But not always. Some restaurants in nearby cities gladly pay a high price for this meat which they serve to customers who will pay high prices for it. Selling to these restaurants, as much as $1000 may be paid for just one fish-representing more money than a native could otherwise earn in a full year's time. It is easy to see why these fish are usually sold, rather than eaten in native huts!
The Lord God, who arranged for a fish to bring a piece of money to Peter (see the opening verse), is the One who knows all the fish of the world, for He is their Creator and has placed them in the waters to serve His purposes. He also knows all about you: "Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?" (Job 31:44Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? (Job 31:4)). David also wrote, "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker" (Psa. 95:66O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. (Psalm 95:6)). Have you ever knelt down before your Maker? Have you ever worshipped Him?