Grandpa Or The Trawlermen?

Mattew 4:19

‘And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ 

My grandpa loves fishing. Like he really loves fishing. He goes on fishing holidays. Personally, I can’t think of anything worse than spending a whole week sitting around, in silence, waiting for nothing to happen. One of the reasons my grandpa loves fishing is because he’s a massive introvert and spending a week on his own, not having to talk to anyone is his idea of heaven. I don’t know how we’re related! But for a long time, that was the picture I had of fishing: the solitary angler. That all changed when I watched a BBC documentary about trawlermen. This show painted a completely different picture of fishing. Stormy weather, danger, and a team of slightly battered looking men, all working together to haul in a catch. 

What’s the picture that comes into your head when you hear Jesus say, ‘I will make you fishers of men’? Is it the solitary angler? Or is it the bunch of guys grappling with the net? The answer to this question is key to our understanding of mission. Fishing in Jesus’ day wasn’t a solitary activity, it was done in teams. Similarly, our approach to mission needs to be a little less grandpa and a little more trawlermen. Jesus sends us out into the world, but he doesn’t send us out on our own; he sends us out in teams. 

If you want to be more effective in mission and outreach, step one, find some teammates! And remember, the trawlermen may face the fiercest storms, but when they work as a team, boy do they catch a lot of fish! 

Prayer- Father, please show me the people that you have put in my life who can be my teammates.