On Men-Fishing
When Jesus called His first disciples, He invited them to "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19) Two thousand years later, we're still trying to figure out how to best do that.
Some folks go "fishing" by knocking on doors to share their faith. Others witness in their schools, work place or neighborhoods. Still others use social media like Facebook and Twitter to proclaim the gospel. But most just use the low-key approach, like wearing an initialed bracelet or putting a bumper sticker on their car.
Have you ever wondered what the "world" thinks when they see such things? One of the first things a good fisherman must do to catch fish is learn to think like a fish. But that may be harder than it first appears,especially when you're so isolated from the world that you forget what it's like not to be a Christian. As followers of Christ, we are called to be "in the world, but not of it," and it's important that we understand the people God has purposefully placed in our path to impact with His gospel.
If you take a step back, you just might realize that the people around you have a different perspective on your religious expressions from the outside-looking-in than you do from the inside-looking-out. We would all do well to take a fresh look at how we are communicating
to those around us what it means to be a follower of Christ.
With that, I found this humorous top ten list (original source unknown) I wanted to share with you, with hopes that it might help you to understand the "fish" a little better as you seek to live out Jesus' Great Commission this week:
Ten Things People Won't Say When They See a Fish Symbol on Your Car
- Look, let's stop that car and ask those folks how we can become Christians.
- Don't worry, Billy, those people are Christians; they must have a good reason for driving 95 mph.
- What a joy to be sharing the highway with another car of Spirit-filled brothers and sisters.
- Isn't it wonderful how God blessed that Christian with a brand new Mercedes!
- How come people who drive like that don't get thrown in jail? Son, that driver is a Christian and God probably protects him from getting arrested.
- Oh, look! That Christian woman is getting a chance to share Jesus with a police officer.
- No, that's not garbage coming out of their windows, Bert; it's probably gospel tracts for the road workers to read.
- Oh boy, we're in trouble. We just rear-ended one of God's cars.
- Quick, Alice, honk the horn or they won't know that we are Christians too.
- Stay clear of those folks, Martha. If they get raptured, that car's gonna be all over the road!
Here's hoping your faith in Christ is contagious and that as you follow Jesus He will truly make you into the kind of fisherman that impacts your world positively with the gospel.
Have a safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend. I am praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.
--Pastor Ken
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