You’re a Keeper
I remember taking my daughter fishing when she was very young. There was this great little spot where I had great confidence that she would catch some fish. She was old enough to know that when daddy came home from fishing he brought home the fish he caught. I got her fishing pole rigged up with the smallest hook in the tackle box and float and of course the red worm. I cast the line for her and it was not very long before she was reeling and squealing. She reeled in the smallest perch I had every seen. After congratulating her on her catch, I removed the small fry and tossed it back in the lake. My daughter began crying and said, “I wanted to keep it.” I told her it was too small keep. But no amount of explaining could make her understand that the fish she caught was not a keeper.
This story came to mind the other day when I saw the ‘fish’ symbol that is displayed on car bumpers and key chains – and I thought about how we are all “keepers” in God’s eyes. None of us are too small for the greatness of God to recognize. Jesus said, “”Come after Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Mark 1:17. He listed no adjectives for men. Therefore, we are to be fishers of all men and all men are keepers. In order to be effective fishers of men we need to have the following;
The right tackle – Word of God. I know for a fact that if I leave my tackle at home, I won’t catch fish. Or if I take the wrong tackle I won’t catch fish. We must know God’s Word in order to be effective.
The right attitude – confidence and faith that God will honor the fishing trip. If I leave on a fishing trip thinking the fish are not going to bite, I might as well stay at home. Because even if they do bite I probably won’t notice. We must always remember that God is faithful and will honor the work we do for Him
September 13th, 2005 at 2:16 pm
I was thinking as I was reading this that you also need time to fish. I used to fish. I used to love to fish, now I don’t have the time. Other, more important, things have taken the place of this wonderful hobby. I look back and I’m not sure if I am as productive now as I was when I took the time to fish, but that is for another time. Now, we are so busy doing “church work” that we neglect the “work of the church!” That seems to be one of Satan’s main tools in my life is to be too busy to fish. Jesus called us to be fishers of men. It isn’t a hobby, it is a way of life. I wonder how many times I have thought that I haven’t had time to do the most basic of Christian disciplines, that of fishing. Fishing, for the Christian, isn’t something we choose to do at a certain time and place, it is something that we do all of the time.
I think I’ll go get my pole, some tackle, and take a trip to the fishing hole!
Thanks!
September 14th, 2005 at 10:57 am
Fishing? My lures are rusted, my license is expired and I only see the lake to pass on the way to somewhere else. These recreational pasttimes seem to have been overruled with more useful things like going to Wal-Mart to just buy the fish and skip the work and pleasure of catching our own. Kind of like how witnessing has changed to commercialize capturing folks with things like television and gimicks instead of just face-to-face, get dirty, witnessing. I find myself caught up in the stuff too.
I agree, let’s go fishing and get dirty for God!
September 16th, 2005 at 4:56 pm
Bill is correct when he states one of Satan’s most effective tools is to impress upon our conscious and subconscious thoughts how much we have to do. Most of us spend far too much time doing the ‘urgent’ instead of the ‘important.’
One way to begin to correct our faulty thinking and subsequent misplaced actions is to take time to ‘rest in God.’ I cannot recall an instance in which Jesus ever got in a hurry. Our meditation times can become mechanistic, pre-scheduled appointments with God and His Word, as many evangelicals have forgotten the truth of the opening line to a fine hymn, “Jesus, Jesus, I am resting in the joy of what Thou art; I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.” No religious program, church meeting or mechanical quiet time will substitute for resting in the joy of who God is. “Resting” takes unhurried time. For years I thought the 23rd Psalm was only appropriate for a funeral or graveside service. I have changed my mind. If you look closely, and let the truths sink in, you will find these promises: (1) The Lord is our shepherd (2) We do not lack for anything (3) He makes us lie down (4) in green pastures (5) He leads us beside still waters (6) we need not fear any evil which befalls us since (7) he is with us and (8) His presence comforts us (9) He give us what we need in the face of our enemies (10) His blessings cause our cups to overflow (11) His goodness follows us throughout life (12) His mercy follows us throughout life (13) we dwell with Him forever. It is easy to overlook such powerful words as “leads us beside still waters” and we can “lie down in green pastures” These action verbs are reassuring as we reflect upon their significence and application in and to our lives. This does not mean every external circumstance is good, but as we learn to “rest in Him”, the stress melts, and a quiet hope is present because we have returned to the source of power. For the most part our shallow private and public religious opinions have robbed us of the simple joy of knowing God. I read once that the word “BUSY” is an acronymn for “Bound Under Satan’s Yoke.” I know that has been true in my life at times.
September 19th, 2005 at 8:19 am
Thanks, Cami and Ed, for the reminder! I was just thinking, “How interruptable am I?” I think that God is yelling and waving His arms at me trying to interrupt my schedule, but I am too bound by what I have to do that day! Today, I will be inturruptable! (Is that a word??)
Bill
June 18th, 2010 at 3:22 am
Thanks for an interesting article. After looking through different websites I finally found something worth reading.