Gone Fishing

Jesus said, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  Mark 1:17

Growing up, Sunday was a great day.  Mom and Dad made sure it was a day we slowed down.  It was often the day we would take a drive and go visit my Grandmas or play games at the kitchen table.  Winter Sundays were great but spring, summer and fall Sundays often involved a relaxing activity that I hated…fishing!  Everyone in the family except me loved to go, so not wanting to spoil anyones fun, I never said anything but man I hated it when it was a fishing Sunday.  To me, it was completely ant-social, totally uneventful and absolutely boring!  You couldn’t talk or you’d scare the fish away, the hook began and ended with something wiggly and gross and if I actually ever sat still enough to catch something, the great prize was eating it.  Since I don’t like fish, even the prize wasn’t a good deal.  The only Sunday fishing trip I ever really enjoyed was the one where I convinced my mom that some boys at school told me Chocolate Chip Cookies were great fish bait.  I told her that if I used those as bait, nobody would have to help me or listen to me complain about spearing a poor, little, slimy worm with a hook.  It was a great day.  I left my empty hook in the water all afternoon while I laid in the summer sun slowly nibbling on my two cookies and then announcing at the end of the afternoon that those boys had no idea what they were talking about!  Any good fisherman will tell you, it’s all about the bait.

I love this verse from Mark’s gospel even if it does remind me of fishing Sundays.  These words Jesus spoke two thousand years ago were not just meant for the disciples; they were for us in this place and this time as well.  It’s one of those verses we read and think…oh no…he’s not talking to me!  I’m not qualified to preach the Gospel or evangelize and lead others to the Lord.  That’s for religiously smart, holy people who know lots of stuff about faith and the bible.  If that’s what we’re thinking then we’re making a big mistake.  Sharing the good news of Jesus’ love and mercy is a job that belongs to each of us.  After all he’s done for us, he’s asking us to be willing to publicly “show him a little love!”

The most important part of this verse is the phrase “and I will make you”.  Those five little words take all the pressure off of us.  He's saying very clearly that he will give us what we need to do what he’s asking us to do. If we follow, he will arrange the situation and circumstances perfectly. He isn’t asking us to convert a continent or preach an eloquent sermon to thousands, he’s just asking us to take him with us wherever we go and share him with others.  If you’ve ever asked someone to “put in a good word  for you” then you understand what he’s asking.  He’s asking us to make the introduction and he’s so amazing, he’ll even point out the folks he’d like us to introduce him to if we agree to follow and help him make a difference in peoples lives.

If we agree to let him make us fishers of men the best part is the bait!  The bait he’s asking us to use as we “fish for men” is love.  It isn’t knowledge or power or strength.  We don’t have to buy  any equipment or supplies, he’s given us everything we need to do this work.  He has loved us abundantly and if we share that love with others, hearts will be changed, lives will be changed and the world will be changed.  This is one fishing trip I can get excited about!  The request is clear so pick up your pole, spend some time in prayer so you can load up on his love and then take that bait and tell a true fish story about the things you’ve seen him do when people grabbed onto the bait and let him change their life.

A Seed To Plant: Take this  verse to prayer with you this week and ask the Father to show you where to take some of his famous bait!

Blessings on your day!