Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) My husband and I have been learning to fish for most of our lives. You really don’t just know how to fish; you learn it from someone.
Years ago, my husband and I were trying our hand at fishing at a high mountain lake we had never fished before, Stampede Reservoir near Truckee. We had a little 14-foot aluminum fishing boat that we had learned to troll with (another story). As we observed, many boats on the lake were circling an island. It looked almost comical, one boat after another going in circles around the island. We wanted to jump in; trouble was we had no idea what bait or lures they were using or even what fish they were fishing for.
An older gentleman saw our dismay. He smiled, then the all-important instruction began. The fish was Kokanee, the method was down-rigging (Kokanee feed very deep), the bait was Kokanee bugs tipped with white corn or wedding-rings tipped with white corn. After heading into Truckee for the right equipment and applying the gentleman’s instructions, we began to catch Kokanee. It was the gentleman’s love for fishing that, unselfishly, taught us the ropes. Not every fisherman cares to share their knowledge.
We continued to learn to target many species, striper, salmon, bass, halibut, barracuda, tuna, cod, or trout, including steelhead, German brown, rainbow, etc. Whether on ocean, river, creek, lake or pond we learn to target that species from someone knowledgeable. You can’t use the same fishing technique for every fish or location. For instance, in fly fishing there are certain flies for certain times of the year and different locations depending on the hatch and type of fish you are fishing for. My friend Pat taught me this.
Fishing is a lifelong joy for me, (can you tell?) but becoming a “fisher of men” has become a much greater joy. What I have found in Jesus must be shared. I am always learning to pursue the hearts of people who need Jesus and bring them His truth. Third John says it well, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” Unlike regular fishing where there are assorted experts on types of fishing, there is only One expert to follow to become a “fisher of men”, Jesus. Jesus said, “follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” When Paul admonished followers to follow him, it was only as He followed Christ.
You can’t follow just anyone who says they are “experts” in fishing or “experts” of making followers of Christ. There are lots of so-called “experts” in fishing out there that say they have all the knowledge. We must learn from those who have proven skills. If a fishing guide took us out and claimed he knew the perfect spot and method but we never caught fish we would not use that guide again. In the kingdom of God be careful who you follow, they must be doers of what Jesus taught and reflect His heart. Three important rules: do they teach from the bible, do they do what it says, do they love like Jesus?
It occurs to me that Jesus is the only One that loves every variety of man we are to fish for. No matter where in the world a life is found, Jesus knows how to reach each one. It’s not about adding to church membership rolls either, it’s about adding to His Kingdom and decreasing the number of those who are still out of His kingdom. He tells us “even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:14
Once we become His child and enter into the kingdom of God, we immediately change occupations. We all become “fishers of men.” Please note: it’s not about cleaning up lives to look like a Christian, that is the work of the Holy Spirit. In regular fishing we know we can’t clean the fish before we catch it. It is all about the great commission… Matthew 28, Go and make disciples…
We do what Jesus did, teach how to be born again. John the 3rd chapter says it perfectly, well of course, Jesus said it!
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
So, let’s go fishing with Jesus, right now.
How blessed I am to be part of the family of rescued ones here in Red Bluff. So blessed because He rescued me, Roxanne Cunningham (roxiegodtalk@yahoo.com).
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