Just Go Fish!
Jesus was a Master at using the everyday things people did in order to teach great spiritual truths. And many of the principles used in fishing for fish are basically the same as the principles for fishing for people.
First, you need good equipment. As children of God, we’re the only equipment that God needs to bring people to Him. Jesus wants us to understand that wants us to be His witnesses. But to be suited to the job we have to have faith and the right mindset. And even more importantly, we need to use the right bait.
The only bait we should be using is God’s Word. And the Word reveals to us that Jesus Christ is the only way. John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, except through me.”
In order to catch fish, we also need time and patience. Everyone that does any fishing knows that if they’re just patient enough that eventually they’ll catch some fish. But the other essential ingredient to catching both people and fish is we have to go where they are. The weather may be perfect, the water may be just right, and we may have all the right equipment, bait, and patience, but we’ll never catch any fish if we just stay in the car in the parking lot.
This is the critical part for us as Christians. Statistics show that only 3% of all lost people spontaneously come to church on their own. Unless we go where they are and share the Good News, we’ll never catch any fish for the Lord. We have to go fishing.
The next question is, who will God use to be Fishers of Men? God has called every believer to become fishers of men. Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I’ll teach you how to catch people”. He called regular folks to fulfill the mission of being ‘fishers of men’. They weren’t somehow special people with special talents or special training.
Fear of failure and a feeling of unworthiness is often our stumbling block. But God can help us overcome it. 2 Timothy 1:7 says: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 1 John 4:18 says: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
Sharing our faith, sharing our resources, sharing a part of ourselves with others is what this life is all about as we follow Jesus. He calls us to a life of conviction, to a life of urgency, to a life of sharing and proclaiming his good news to others. So, just go fish!