May 14, 2020
“Who Wants to go Fishing?”
“Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 NKJV
I had the delightful experience of taking a group of children from a church fishing one Saturday morning. We had plenty of men who went along to help the children. We went fishing in a pond at a State Park. All the men got two or three of the children and gathered around them and helped them bait their hooks and cast into the pond.
One young boy was standing beside me. His name was Kyle. He had cast his bait into the water and all of a sudden he shouted, “Hey, look, there is a fish right there.” He saw a small brim swimming right at the bank. He continued, “I’m going to catch that one.”
Of course I figured that as soon as he dropped his line in front of the fish the fish would swim away. I watched as the young boy reeled in his line and very strategically let his cricket down right in front of the fish. Yet instead of swimming off the fish instantly swallowed the cricket and hood. Kyle lifted the fish onto the bank and began screaming that he had caught a fish. It was the first one of the morning and all the children ran to see it.
Now I love fishing. I’m not the best fisherman, but I enjoy going. Never have I seen before or since a fish that you can see first and then catch. Most of the time if you see it you can’t catch it. I’ve been fishing more times than I can remember, I’ve caught fish sometimes, but not all the time.
Jesus called His disciples to be fishers of men. He told them to drop their fishing nets and follow Him. As disciples of Jesus today we are commanded to do the same. (Matthew 28:19). Yet most of today’s disciples find it hard and uncomfortable to share Jesus with others. We see the people and wonder what they will think of us if we start talking about our faith. Most of the time we are like the person who fishes for fish. We just cast our bait out into the unknown and hope someone will take the bait. We hint at our faith or post something on social media hoping someone will ask the question.
Maybe we should be as bold as a little boy who saw a fish. Maybe we should just carefully place our bait right in front of the person who needs to meet Jesus. We don’t have to have a theological education to tell someone what Jesus has done for you. Sharing how He has changed your life and blessed you beyond your own comprehension. Letting someone in on the peace that passes understanding and the joy that is everlasting. Can we not just introduce others to our best friend?
I realize it would be hard to do that if Jesus has not radically changed your life, but if He has what are we waiting for. Once we place the bait, it is up to the Spirit of God to catch the soul. We are asked to be good bait casters and when we do land that soul we will be shouting tike that little boy. The Bible says, “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10 NKJV.
Dear Lord, help us to take every opportunity to share our faith so that others might know the freedom we have in you. Help us to not be afraid, but just to introduce you to our acquaintances. Help us to find the pleasure in being a fisher of people in the world we live in today. In Jesus name, Amen.
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