Fishing in a deep, dark body of water involves casting your line where you THINK the fish are, hoping for a bite. Sight fishing is a bit different…you can literally SEE the fish, you know where to cast. This all came together for me one morning when I was fishing on a clear water lake in Michigan. It was early and the fish were on the prowl for food…I could see fish everywhere. I would try and try again, but couldn’t catch a fish. It was so frustrating! After trying a few different lures and casting methods I finally landed one, and then another and then another! Within an hour I had caught around 30 fish in the same area, if I would have given up early I would have not experienced the joy that I did that morning.
That same day I had to be back for a gathering in our backyard, we had invited all of our neighbors over. The thought hit me like a ton of bricks…”I’m sight fishing tonight!” People I see everyday are swimming to and fro, back and forth before me and I have all kinds of opportunities to throw a question their way or invite them over for a meal. Jesus called his disciples to leave everything they were doing to become fishers of men.(Matthew 4:19) We do not see them “catching” men and women every time we read a story about them, but we do see them fishing – looking to Jesus for direction, sharing meals, serving others, teaching truth…we see it in the early church and even in the church today. The lifestyle of evangelism and discipleship takes intentionality and perseverance. While we may or may not be enduring a season of harvest, God has called us to be fishers of men. There are so many people that are visibly and desperately in need of Christ’s love, will you cast the line their way?
Keep fishing, keep the line in the water by continually rooting new friendships with those who may be far from God, be in prayer, watch for opportunities. Remember, we were called to be fishers of men, not catchers…leave that part up to God, the Holy Spirit is your ultimate fishing guide.
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Your analogy is great! Thanks for putting those together. Now, what do you do if the “dock” starts to fall apart from underneath ya?
Great blog Chris! Love the analogy=)