What Are You Fishing For?

Like many of you, I like to fish. I don’t get to do it very often, but when I do, I usually have a great time. Many times, people will come up to others and ask them what type of bait or lure they should use. The answer depends upon what exactly you are fishing for. There are many kinds of fish, and some lures or bait can be used to catch several different types of fish, but then there are those fish that would just stare at the same bait and swim away. This happens to me a lot, apparently.

Knowing the species of fish you are trying to catch narrows down the choices of bait and gives you a greater chance of success. Fishing is a great example of life. Everyone is fishing for something. We fish for wealth, health, notoriety, and fame. We fish for the one we can live happily ever after with. We fish for good friends, we fish for the coolest vehicle, and the nicest house. You see, we all fish.

In Luke chapter 5, Jesus met with some fishermen who did that for a living. Empty nets meant an empty wallet. Jesus asked Simon if He could use the boat by going out into the water so He could teach the crowds. Afterwards, Jesus told Simon, James, and John to go out and put their nets down deep. This type of fishing is always done in the evening, and Simon told Jesus that they had worked all night and had not caught a thing. Yet, they did as the Lord commanded, and they brought up a huge catch; the nets were breaking, and the boats were about to sink. It was then that Simon realized that this was no ordinary man, and he recognized his sinfulness. Notice how Jesus responds in verse 10, “and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”

Jesus has now given these men a new directive by changing what they were fishing for. Now, they would be fishers of men. We know that these men leaned into this new direction because they left everything to follow Jesus. The same is true; we all fish for something, and all of those things that were mentioned earlier have priority in our lives, so we fish for them. Something happens, though, when we come face to face with the Lord. We, too, will change what we fish for. We will be challenged with becoming fishers of men, to catch people for the sake of the Kingdom of God. People will matter more to us than things, and we will desire for everyone that we encounter to come to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

So, my fishing buddy, what are you fishing for? If you, too, have become a fisher of men, remember our bait is the word of God, love, and kindness. I hope you catch a boatful this year.