Fishing

During the end of last summer, my last season as a
lifeguard at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, a misunderstanding spread of what I
would be doing in 2010.

It went a little like this:

I quickly realized the word mission had been
replaced by the word fishing as if we were playing a bad game a “telephone.” I
most likely laughed, corrected the statement, and changed the subject.

At this point in my life (about a year ago today),
I did not have the boldness to tell them the truth.

But this is what I should have said:

-I
am no longer just a lifeguard or a
lifeguard instructor.

-I
am now a fisher… a fisher of men.

-Jesus’
referred to his first disciples as just that.

-He
asked them to put down their nets and follow him.

-They
no longer were they to just catch fish; Jesus called them to be fishers of men. 

Fishing is dirty work. You have to get in a rocky boat,
bait the line (or have grandpa do it), wait for a long time learning patience,
you have to keep your eye on the bobber, and once you catch the fish you have
to gut it.  Sometimes you might
even take the biggest fish to taxidermy. This isn’t the kind of fun I typically
do on a lake weekend (I’d rather go tubing).

Fishing
for men is similar. I am going on a trip to build the kingdom of God. I am
going to leave behind this job and pick up a job in which I save people in the
spiritual realm. I am going to go down a rocky path and run after God. I am
going to declare truth and wait for change, in my life and others. I will fail
and I will succeed and I will learn a lot of patience along the way. I will
keep my eye on the prize. When I face the enemy I will cast Him away and refill
that space with truth.  Yes, It is
hard work, but the joy of the Lord is my strength.