Go Fishing
I am sure he was inspired by that quiet August morning at a lake in Yellowstone, hanging out with our grandson as he fished. My husband Mike has been on a mission to restore to working order the fishing rods that have been idly residing in our basement since we built the house 27 years ago. Those rods needed TLC for sure and Mike was up to the task.
Anticipating fully functional fishing rods, Mike asked me if I would like to go fishing sometime. I replied that I had never fished in my life, but…maybe??
As my head remembered the fishing facts I had learned from our grandson that day in Yellowstone, my heart was hearing I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19 and Mark1:17).
Really, Jesus? Are you talking to me?!
Whether we are fishing for actual fish or angling to bring hearts to Christ, we need to make use of the appropriate bait and tackle.
Before casting your line in the public lakes and rivers of any of our fifty states, adults are required to purchase a fishing license/permit. In contrast, Jesus encourages each of us to freely reach out to others and be fishers of men. The cost of this is faith, hope, trust, and love.
Am I using the right bait? In Yellowstone, only artificial lures and flies are allowed and hooks must be barbless or pinched down. When fishing with Christ at our side, the best bait is showing genuine interest and a listening heart. Love is always the hook of choice.
Catch and release – what’s the point? In the lakes of Yellowstone, releasing the fish allows them to become part of the food chain for the park’s wildlife, becoming what God intended them to be. Our Christian viewpoint of catch and release encourages us to share our faith story, trusting that the Lord will work in the other person’s life for optimum results. Then let go and let God.
Are you fishing at the right time? Pray for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, listen, then gear up and act when he nudges you to start fishing. You can share, in a general way, the Good News of God’s love from afar (fish from the shoreline) or head out to deeper waters by relating your personal experience of God’s love in your life.
In this Sunday’s familiar Gospel story (Matthew 20:1-16a), a landowner is “fishing” for laborers to work in his vineyard. He fishes at different times of day and nets a variety of workers. When the landowner says, you too go into my vineyard, let us also hear the Lord’s command to go fish.
Gear yourself for the task of people fishing (no permit required!). Meet others in the waters where THEY are located. Wear the appropriate attire. Say a prayer then clothe yourself with God’s fishing gear and the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Note to self: enjoy the beauty of my surroundings and the great gift of faith. Even if the fish are not biting, I will cast my line with hope.