Leadership
HOW TO TELL WHERE THE FISH ARE BITING?
The title of our chapter assumes several things. First, it assumes that before we go to try to find the fish, that we know how to catch them. Second, it assumes that we are properly prepared for the task before us. Most bodies of water have fish in them, but we need to know where they are, what they feed on, and the best time to catch them. I recall a little poem that I learned when I was young about a man called Simple Simon. The one I am referring to goes like this:
simple Simon went a-fishing, for to catch a whale,
all the fish he ever caught was in his mother's pail.”
Jesus has called us to the task of fishing for men, and although fish are different from men, there are similarities in learning how, where and when to catch them. The fish Jesus refers to is not usually fellow believers. They refer to those who have not heard the gospel and need for us to create understanding to enable them to find salvation. Recently I was in a church where a candidate, just finishing his seminary experience, declared that he was called to preach. Up until now, the only experience he had in working with unsaved people was very minimal. He worked as a principal in the Christian school and his second job was working at a Christian college in the cafeteria. So, when God calls us to preach, does he intend for us to spend all our time fishing in the waters where there are no fish to catch? This man was afraid to go out into the world and work in a secular employment. I also have come across people who think being called to preach means spending their time in rescue missions or in prison ministries. There is nothing wrong with that and they are all ministries where the gospel needs to be heard. But I think there is another field of service that we don't consider to be Christian ministries. I am speaking about our everyday employment, where we come face-to-face with people in the world who have limited knowledge or no knowledge of the gospel at all.
I believe it is essential for Christians to work faithfully in our secular environments. Here are ministries not confined to other ministries like jail and homeless shelters. We are working with a great multitude of people who are quite self-sufficient, and some of them even have some form of religion, but they're far from understanding what it means to be born again. As I mentioned previously, I wish that I could help Christians realize that the "uttermost parts of the earth" are where God is placing them today. Where the real opportunities are and the true hunger for truth and righteousness exist. As we rub shoulders with these people each day and observe and listen to what they say, we learn to discern where the opportunities exist to help them. Some of these people are confused, some of them have no concept of right and wrong, others are overtaken by their lusts and their addictions and they are in despair because they find no way out of their dilemma. Some of these friends are overcome with guilt and all they can do is try to find other coverings to help them forget their problem. But the problem remains and unless there are faithful Christians around to understand the opportunities, they remain in a helpless state.
Again, as I mentioned before, befriending these people is the most important thing we can do besides praying for them. The situation around us may be discouraging, but we can be a light that can bring them hope, because we have a God of hope, love, joy, and peace and we can share that God with them. One of the people at work did not have enough time to take off to administer to her sickness and she needed to save up vacation time to help. For those who have more than we need, it is a great joy to minister in this way. In this situation, the person would never know who the donor was, but God knows and that's all that matters. Sometimes helping people out financially may open the door later for their salvation. I recall a story of a man in my church who was my deacon. One year the community had a terrible drought and everyone's crops were burned out. My deacon, by the goodness and grace of Go, experienced an abundance of harvest at that same time. I recall that he gave bins of green away to one man who said to him, "I don't know if I will ever be able to repay you”. My deacon replied, "that's all right, but if you can't, it really doesn't matter". Shortly after my deacon's death, his sons led that man to Christ. We never know when we exert deeds of kindness toward others, especially when we do it without any expectation of anything in return, how it will all turn out. Very often God does not let us know the rewards that come through being faithful, and the faith that matters is the faith that motivates us to do what is right, leaving the outcome to God.
Fishing for men is not like fishing for fish. Usually, when we go fishing we expect something to happen. I recall Peter said to Jesus that they fished all night and caught nothing. If you have ever fished, you know that empty nets are something that happens often. We should never give up reaching out, praying and looking for opportunities to perform good works to those who need us. We are not in the business of hanging spiritual scalps on our belts, and I believe that if we have that motive in fishing for men, we will often be disappointed in the kind of fish that we catch. I had a relative of mine one day who told me "that would be the day when those who worked with her would become her friends.” Of course, she was not a Christian so we could not expect Christian virtues from that.
But there is always the opportunity to reflect the love and image of Jesus to those around us. In fact, that is more important than preaching to them. Men always look at our lives, and if for some reason, they do not see something different in us then that indeed, will be a poor advertisement for the gospel. Imagine if every Christian saw their workplace as their ministry. From these faithful servants, the employer would never hear complaints, gossip, bitterness, or strife. One of my employers asked me, after my second-year of employment if there were any other people in my school that were like me because he wanted to hire them to work for him. I never realized he thought that way until my final year, when I had to go back to school and leave that place. But those two years working in the hotel brought more
I for one look forward to the opportunity for secular employment. It is an absolute joy for me to go to work and be with my friends each day and pray for them as I go about my duties each evening. Occasionally, God allows us to see the results of our labors and we are usually quite surprised that much is taking place. Being faithful and giving forth a positive testimony at our work of employment is one of the greatest ways to find out where the fish are and which ones are biting.
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