”Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” When Jesus spoke these words to professional fishermen they ”straightway left their nets and followed him.”

Recently we have had the good fortune to spend some time fishing with some brethren who are real experts. It is interesting to notice how the modern day fisherman is so well equipped. He often has a boat or kayak; he has expensive fishing poles, reels and a tackle box chuck full of all kinds of hooks, lures, sinkers, etc., all designed to help him catch the big one. In addition to being fully equipped, he is also knowledgeable of the habits of the fish he is trying to catch. He knows just what type of lure or bait to use for each kind of fish, where they are apt to be, and the time they are most likely to be biting. An avid fisherman thinks nothing of rising long before daybreak and traveling sometimes great distances over land and water to be at what he hopes will be the right place at the right time to accomplish his goal, catching his limit.

Now when Jesus told us that he would make us fishers of men, he certainly would expect us to be as diligent in knowing the habits of those we want to attract to the Truth as the fisherman is in knowing the characteristics of his fish. Paul tells us he was all things to all men and he did this in an effort to catch men for Christ.

We can imagine the complaints we would get if we asked brethren to get up at 4 or 5 in the morning to go out to preach the Truth, yet if we change it to a fishing trip watch their eyes light up at the prospect of ”goin fishin.”

Now this example is not intended to condemn in any way the fine sport of fishing, but only to show that Christ wants us to also be as willing and ready to ”fish for men.”

The fisherman is careful to offer the kind of bait that the fish love best. When the fish has swallowed the hook the fisherman’s job is not over; in fact, the fun has just begun. Now he carefully plays the fish allowing it to run, and reeling in at every opportunity. If he does not do his job well, the fish will get away. He is very patient to play the fish until he can land him. The good fisherman is intent on doing this to the very best of his ability and he would look with scorn on someone who had a good fish on the end of the line and failed to make an attempt to reel him in. Why is it that we are sometimes so unskillful in our fishing for men? Someone asks us ”What is a Christadelphian, what do you believe?” and we proceed to tell them that ”we don’t believe in the Trinity, we don’t believe in the Devil, we don’t believe in an immortal soul, we don’t believe in going to heaven when we die.” No doubt the person asking the question wonders why we told him all the things we don’t believe when he asked us what we do believe. As a fisher for men we should develop as much skill as possible in first attracting him with the right kind of bait and then playing him carefully when he begins to show interest. To do this requires that we know as much about him as possible just as the fisherman knows the habits of the various kinds of fish in the lake, river or ocean. It next requires us to use skill and tact in drawing him near to us rather than scare him away with a whole lot of negatives. He would much rather hear that we do believe in the coming Kingdom, peace on earth and good will among men, the end of war, the end of sorrow and pain and death, and the glories of the coming age. When our listener acquires a little more knowledge and love for the Word there will be ample time to discuss the fact that his dead grandmother whom he thinks is in heaven is peacefully asleep in the grave.

Every fisherman knows that if he wants to catch fish he must go to them. No one ever caught a fish sitting in his living room. If we want to fish for Christ then we must go where they can be found. This may mean the use of television, radio, newspapers, door to door, open air and talking the truth at lunch time in the company cafeteria. We can’t sit back and wait for them to come to us anymore than the fisherman can. The good fisherman has a well stocked tackle box filled with goodies that attract fish and the good fisherman for Jesus has a well marked, well thumbed Bible. He also studies so that he will have an answer for the hope that is within him. The fisherman doesn’t wait until he is an expert to begin, he casts his line and learns from his mistakes. Whoever we are and wherever we are, let us begin today to fish for Christ. Don’t wait until we know everything, or we will never begin. ”Be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for the Lord our God is with us whithersoever we go.” God knows where the fish are even as Jesus instructed his disciples where to cast their nets and if we ask God to guide us then he will bless us and give the increase. Remember ”he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”