My dad maintains a catfish pond on the farm I grew up on. During the summer months he feeds the fish daily, throwing commercialized floating fish food on top of a net that has been strategically placed underwater. Sometime at the end of the summer months, he calls his three kids and arranges a time for all of us to get together to go "fishing."

Our way of "fishing" is to feed the fish, wait for them to heartily eat the fish food, and then pull up the net. We rush out to hold the edges of the net up out of the water as we select the fish we want to keep. In one morning's fishing, we can get enough fish fillets to last until the following year's fishing expedition.

The Bible talks about fish and fishing in a variety of different ways: as an occupation, a mealtime staple, or even objects used in miracles. We read in the gospels that a majority of the disciples were fisherman by trade. I imagine being a fisherman was a hard way of life. They would wake up before the sun came up to go out on the water. Daily exposure to the sun, wind, and salt water damaged their clothing and skin. They would cast their nets and hope that something from below would venture into the net that would be marketable. These fishermen didn't have the modern tools of the trade that let them know if fish were in the area. Rods with reels? Plastic worms? Motorized boats? These conveniences were unheard of.

After a day of fishing on the water, boats would pull into the dock and unload the catch of the day. Modern refrigeration wasn't available, so we can assume that anything caught needed to be sold; immediately it wouldn't keep long in the heat of the Middle Eastern territory. Fish that didn't sell were lost profit for the fishermen.

Stormy weather on open water often proved to be disastrous. Boats could capsize on the water or could cause a loss in wages if the storm lasted the entire day. Other hazards of the trade were the nets that needed constant mending, and I wonder how they got rid of the fish smell that seems to permeate their skin after cleaning a fish?

Jesus asked his disciples to be fishers of men, sharing the gospel (or the Good News of Salvation) with those set on a course of sinking in the murky waters of spiritual blindness. He asks the same of us today. Seek an opportunity to witness with others, not with a fishing tale, but the story of Jesus and the life that only He can give. With whom can you share this story? A family member? The neighbor across the street? A co-worker? Go ahead... He has equipped you with the tools of the trade and will continue to guide you to those that have not been caught with the hook of life. His miraculous ways continue today, and we can rest in the assurance that He will not abandon any of us as we serve Him as fishers of men.

Enjoying the ride,

Jane