Fishing

When I was growing up our family would go fishing often. My dad was a boat builder and part of the final process was testing the boats on different rivers and lakes. This meant that we would be able to go fishing often.

On one fishing trip I was out on the lake with my dad and brothers. We were using large red and white fishing lures that were about 2 1/2 inches long. As we started fishing we were reminded to keep quite or we would scare the fish.

All of a sudden I felt this sting on my ear and yelled. Then it felt like something was trying to pull my ear off. It was my brother. He had cast his lure and it caught the top of my ear piercing completely through the cartilage. The pulling was him thinking he had a snag as he continued to try and cast. My dad kept telling me to stop scaring the fish and turned around when my brother said his line was stuck.

He told my brother to hold still as he assessed the situation. When he saw the lure hanging from my ear he said, “Well you always wanted your ears pierced.” Needless to say after that I didn’t think fishing was much fun and from then on I would find something else to do.

Tracy enjoys fishing and over the years I would go with him, but would stay a casting distance away reading a book. This continued until we went to Heise. He suggested I give it a try again because he thought I would really enjoy it. So for Mother’s Day he bought me a fishing pole and I obtained my first ever fishing license.

Tracy taught me how to set up my fishing line, use a worm threader and casting techniques. The whole worm thing is disgusting so I purchased disposable rubber gloves to do that part. I know I look ridiculous, but it works for me.

Once I had the basics down it was time to put it into practice. I would fish from our bank for hours. I had so many snags that I became very quick and efficient at tying on new hooks and weights. Threading worms became much easier, still disgusting and I always use gloves. At one point I also had to reload line on my reel because I had used so much on the snags.

Each time I wanted to give up I would have the thought, “Keep going, you can do this.” Tracy would comment on how dedicated I was even though I hadn’t caught anything but snags. The truth was I was catching something. I was learning how to fish, I was learning how to fix issues that came up and I was getting great practice in the basics.

Then one day after redoing my line for the 13th time I said, one more cast. Within seconds of the line hitting the water a fish took the bait! I caught a fish! I sounded just like a kid as I yelled with excitement and began reeling it in. Then I thought….now what? Tracy was in the trailer napping and I now needed to get a fish off my hook.

Luckily he woke up, probably from my squealing and came out to see what was going on. He showed me how to get the fish off the hook and identified the type of fish, it was a brook trout. This brought about another lesson, types of fish and which ones you can keep and those you have to let go.

Tracy was right, I really enjoy fishing. There is such a thrill to catching a fish and I get to be outside enjoying the weather and scenery. There is a lot of time in the waiting, time to think and time to be still.

Several times in the waiting I would think about things that were going on at my work. We had been looking for new employees and it was a lot like fishing. It took time, some were a good catch and others had to be released. But you keep fishing.

I thought of Peter when he had fished all night and Jesus told him to try again and he made a huge catch, so many fish that the boat was in danger of sinking. How many times do we allow a bad experience to stop us from trying again? What do we miss out on because we refuse to take another chance or choose to stay a “casting distance” away?

We are called to be “fishers of men.” I thought back to a friend that I had been sharing Christ with. It took several years, many invitations to activities and lots of prayers and one day at a women’s Christmas tea party, she accepted Christ! It was the most incredible feeling to hear her share her story of giving her life to Jesus. That moment made all the time and effort worth it. It also created excitement and passion to do it again and again.

Regardless of how many times we need to throw out or line (share the Good News), re thread our lines (review the basics), bait our hooks (put ourselves out there, even though we might look ridiculous), it’s worth all the effort for the catch (a new believer) and like me yelling on the bank, the Angels in heaven are cheering!

My prayer

Father, thank you for fishing! For Your word and stories from it that encourage us and motivate us to continue sharing You with others. Let the nets and lines be full of people who come to trust in You as their Lord and Savior. Help us to stick with the process and keep fishing for the lost. Thank you for the times we will celebrate with the Angles over those who are found. Amen

Where does my help come from?

Matthew 4:19

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.”

Luke 15:10

“I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:24

“For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.”