We’ve been at the lake for five days and most mornings, especially over the weekends, the fishermen are out early. I sit observing them as they patiently get their gear ready, bait the line and cast out. They are always suited with the appropriate clothing for the weather. If it’s rainy they have rain proof gear on, if it is cold, they have thick layers of clothing and if it is a clear, sunny and warm day, they are dressed appropriately. If there are two men in the boat, I have observed that there is little communication. Most of the time, they seem to be content turning their backs on each another-looking to me as if they are ignoring one another. Now that is foreign in itself- especially for a woman. In my mind they might as well be by themselves! Well, they are there to fish and not socialize! Just the opposite of the reason women would go fishing together. But then women wouldn’t probably go fishing together because when you fish, you are to be quiet. No woman is going to choose a quiet activity if she wants to really be with other women!
Back to the fishermen! They have the right equipment, the right clothing, the right kind of boat, the right electronic gear, their state fishing license, and the desire to be there, (and ignore their friend for hours), for the sake of the catch! They go all over the lake searching for fish. They rise early because the fish are already awake. They stop to purchase the freshest bait. They spend hours upon hours waiting for the hungry fish to come along and take the bait.
I was observing two fishermen this morning as they stopped right below the deck where we are staying. They turned off their boat motor; one went to the front, the other to the back of the boat. One adjusted his seat and perched on the edge of it before casting his line. The other decided to stand- each seemed to be testing the best posture for attracting the fish. The boat drifted with the tide and they remained in my sight-line for just a short time. After approximately five minutes, they moved back to the middle of the boat, attached their poles to the gear on the edge of the boat to secure them, turned on the motor and off they went. Gone! No fish! I never even saw them communicate with one another as to leaving that spot and going to another. Two women would have to have at least a 15 minute discussion as to whether or not they stayed longer to see if possibly the fish might bite, or they would have decided that the place where they’d stopped was so peaceful and relaxing, they might as well stay a while!
But these two men moved on! Why? I was curious as to why they were there for such a short time. Why didn’t they give it longer? I thought it took a while to catch fish. I thought it took patience in waiting for the fish to take the bait. I thought time was no factor in fishing, so why didn’t they wait? Was it poor bait? Was it lack of patience on their part? Was it bad poles? Did one of them sneeze and scare the fish? Determined to find out why they went to all that trouble and gave up so quickly, I exited my chair and went to ask my husband. I was amazed at the answer. “They go where the fish are.” My question, <em “mso-bidi-font-style:=”” normal”=””>“How do they know where the fish are?” Mark said, “They have patrollers on their boat that tell them where the fish are.” An electronic devise that tells you where to stop because there are scores of fish to be had – wow!
As I headed back to my corner chair, I got to thinking about what Mark had said, “They go where the fish are.” I then thought about Jesus telling the disciples that they were to be fishers of men. I asked myself, am I going where the fish are? Am I scouring the lake for fish? Is my electronic devise, i.e.: the Holy Spirit, leading me to the fish, but because I have failed to be appropriately equipped, dressed, and ready, I miss out on the catch?
What lengths these fishermen go to in order to catch a fish, and most of the time they throw them back into the lake. What lengths am I, as a fisherman (woman) of men, willing to go to in order that others might know the Father and through knowing Him receive eternal life.
Father, help my electronic devise to be on and alert this year, as to the fish You allow to be right under my boat- within reach. I want to be a fisherman who is equipped, prepared and ready for the catch. I so desire to come to You when my life is over with a net bursting apart from the load of fish.
“And He said to them, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19
“But the other disciples came in a little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.” John 21:8
“And he who is wise, wins souls.” Proverbs 11:30
Dianne