I love to fish. The problem is that I really don’t know what I’m doing. I can bait a hook, cast out my line, and even reel in just about anything I might catch. But if I run into any trouble, or if I catch a catfish, I have no clue how to handle the situation. So, the only time I go fishing is with my brother, Michael. He’s an expert fisherman! If I get my line tangled, if a fish takes my hook, or if I catch something with big teeth, I call for him! If not for the fact that we’re brother and sister, I’m not sure Michael would see enough in me to ever choose to fish with me. And yet, he does. He chooses to take me with him! I love knowing that I can watch him and learn a few things. I love knowing that if I get into trouble, he’s right there to help. I love knowing that Michael is good enough to know when the perfect time is for catching fish, and knows the perfect spots at which to catch them. I love knowing that Michael is aware enough of the situation to know when we should move on and try another spot, or even to call it a day.
I wonder what Jesus saw in those fishermen He called to be the first of His disciples. Was there something about them that made them special? Nothing in Scripture seems to indicate they were anything but ordinary men doing their best to earn a living. Jesus knew that. He knew they were just simple fishermen and didn’t know the first thing about catching men. Jesus knew they’d have a lot to learn, and that they would learn by watching and listening to Him. He knew that when they got into trouble, He would be right there. Jesus chose those men not based on anything special about them, but knowing they were in the hands of a Savior who loved them, who would never leave them, and who would show them the way.
Jesus has chosen you to be a fisher of men as well. Did He choose you because of your expert skills? Did He choose you because He knows you’re someone special? No! He chose you because of who He is–a Savior who loves you and who is continually about the business of molding you and shaping you to be more and more like Him. We’re just ordinary people, made extraordinary by the Holy Spirit who is at work within us. When we mess up, Jesus is right there to call upon. As we watch and listen to Him through His Word and grow in our understanding of who He is–as we follow Him–He shows us how to love and serve others. He shows us how to be fishers of men.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me. Thank You for Jesus, my Savior and my teacher. Thank You for being right there offering the gift of forgiveness when I lose my way and mess up. By the power of Your Spirit at work in me, help me to love and serve others, and in so doing, make You more recognizable to the world around me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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