Characteristics and lessons of fishers of men

True story. I was fishing with my brother-in-law while on vacation recently in northern Wisconsin. We were fishing for pan fish — crappie in particular. It’s a relatively small fish, a good-eating fish and fun to catch. It requires only light tackle, and — if a net is even needed to land it — a small net works well.

While fishing for crappie, my brother-in-law discovers he has hooked a musky. That is a MUCH larger fish. This particular musky was about 30 inches long and meaty. My role was to try to land the musky when my brother-in-law got it played out and close to the boat, but all I had was a little crappie net. The story ends with me falling head-first over the edge of the boat and into the lake with my wallet and cell phone in my pockets. The fish got away and the cell phone will never work again.

I shared this story with my church recently and related it to the apostle Peter’s call and every Christian disciple’s call to be “fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:18-20)

First of all, those who are consistently successful at fishing don’t quickly give up — they keep trying. They know it’s not easy. They know it requires perseverance and patience. And here’s a few more applicable lessons for those who would be successful “fishers” in the Christian discipleship sense:

• Like successful fishers of fish, learn how to use a variety of techniques. As fishers of men, we need to learn a variety of ways to communicate the gospel’s truth and grace, sensitive to what might connect to the circumstances of a person’s life.

• Like successful fishers of fish, don’t always simply throw your line and anchor in hoping to be in a good spot. As fishers of men, we cannot expect the hungry fish to always come to us; we cannot be stationary fishermen. Jesus told those He called to be fishers of men to “go and make disciples.” That means to live our lives in such a way that we have opportunities to come into contact with hungry fish and to always be ready to cast out the lure of God’s love and grace.

• Like successful fishers of fish, handle your catch carefully so as not to harm it in any way so that it might be released to grow up and multiply the species. Fishers of men need to be careful not to do or say things that harm the cause of bringing new believers into the fellowship of the Kingdom of God. Our goal is to catch and release so that those who become disciples become fishers of men, too!

• Like successful fishers of fish, be equipped for anything and everything. When fishing for fish, make sure you have your life jacket, licenses, bug spray, the proper tackle and nets, an extra paddle, foul-weather gear, communications, sunscreen, water to drink, and first-aid kit. As fishers of men, we need to be equipped for anything and everything, too. That means knowing what we believe and why we believe it based on the unchanging truth of God and His promises in scripture. It means putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), relying on prayer, the Word of God, the fellowship and ministries of the church, and the abiding presence and power of the Holy Spirit to bring success to our faithful efforts.

Last, one of the best things about learning to fish is that it can be a lifelong endeavor and it will bring a lifetime of joy with blessings that never end. It’s not expensive, it doesn’t require exceptional physical ability and you can pursue it by yourself or enjoy it even more with others who share your interest. You can start at any age, too. The same can be said of being a fisher of men.

Don’t know how or where to start? If you’re a Christian and part of a church that takes evangelism and discipleship seriously, start by talking with your pastor.

I’m always looking for brothers and sisters in Christ who want to learn how to fish!