In my formative years I spent many summers in Orr, Minnesota. Some of my earliest memories during that time included fishing. My biggest fishing concern as a child was keeping hold of the rod when something was on it and making sure worms were secured to my hook.
It is not always enough to simply throw a lure out and assume you will get a bite on retrieval. Are you fishing in muddy or clear water, in cloudy or sunny conditions? Are you in shallow weed banks or deep rocky ledges?
The environmental conditions in our physical or spiritual life must be considered with care. Christ lived a balanced life and expects us to do the same. He understood when to speak and when to remain silent, when to preach of the Father’s love and when to sternly correct. Christ noted an extremely important aspect of this calling, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up the cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). We must act upon this command on a daily basis, continually professing godliness. But this should not lead us into an attitude that by merely spouting off Christian platitudes, we fulfill our commitment to God.
Christ saw four men fishing and knew they would fulfill His plans to do even more. “And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.’ So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him” (Luke 5:9-11). They proved their love for Christ by walking away from everything. We prove our own commitment to God by doing the same in our daily lives. But we must not walk in this light of Truth unprepared. Christ later told His disciples, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
Paul tailored his “fishing” to the mindset of those around him. When speaking to the Athenians at the Areopagus (see Acts 17), he used the conditions around him to prove God’s Truth. Because God inspired Paul in this manner, some were called out of that pagan society.
We are warned that this Truth is precious, and how we profess this understanding to others should display that carefulness. Christ stated, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces” (Matthew 7:6). We can become better fishermen by taking the time to understand those around us—people before whom we are representatives of Jesus Christ. In doing so, we can be part of this glorious work of building the Family of God.
