#Fishing

Some people love fishing. My dad did. He tried to get me to like it when I was a kid. It just didn't take. On his day off, he would load up all his fishing gear and drive us to Horse Shoe Lake and find a nice shaded spot by the lake. Then he would hand me the can of worms and a hook and patiently wait for me to get that wiggly thing on the hook. We would sit with out poles in our laps and wait for a nibble. That was the part I did not care for. I didn't mind the worms or the hook, but the waiting would drive me crazy. Now, I love to eat fish, but, the fish someone else has caught.

Out of all the familiar sports there is one I dislike, intensely. Baseball. It is the most boring sport. You have to wait forever for any action. The pitcher stands, holding the ball and looking at the catcher for a signal that he agrees with before the ball leaves his hand. He nods or shakes his head and finally the ball is thrown. There may be foul balls and we wait. At last the hitter hits one and gets to first base. Then the process starts all over.  Football follows close behind on my dislike list. There are so many time-outs and penalties that I cannot bear watching a game. I do root for a team and check the stats frequently, but it is plain torture to sit for three or more hours watching.

Fishing for men also takes patience, but, somehow this waiting for the right moment is more than worth it. There is preparation for this 'sport'. Prayer is the first item to place in your tackle box. Next, should be the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. Then, you need the bait. Becoming a friend of someone makes it easier to ask questions and to talk about spiritual matters, but a good question to ask is "Do you have a relationship with Jesus?" to get the ball rolling.

Jesus told His disciples to become fishers of men. He came to seek and save the lost and as His followers, we are asked to do the same. This is so much more than a sport. Men and women and children need to hear the Good News and if we don't share it, we are partly responsible for people staying lost and the consequences that go along with being lost.
Something to think about - when you get to heaven will there be anyone there who wants to thank you for sharing Jesus with them?