Tuesday's Tidbit

Matthew 4:19

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Good morning, family and friends:

'Tis Tuesday, and we're trusting it to be a Terrific Tuesday, and it will be if Jesus is with us!

Each morning, I try to wrap my mind around something I hope will be worth reading on my blog. I truly desire each day's spoonful of tonic to help and encourage someone. Today, I was reminded of a few personal events from my past that I thought worth sharing.

I am not a fisherman (or fisherwoman, or fisherperson... whatever is proper in referring to a female bearing a rod and reel). My first time on the bank of a pond was likely in July of 1970 in Tennessee, but I have no success story to share from that experience. My next fishing memory is from 1991, when my husband became pastor of a church in Tylertown, MS. One day, a lady from the church called and invited us to her home to fish, with the promise that she'd cook all that we could catch. We loaded our family of five and headed out to her house just about 8-10 miles away.

In no time at all, we were on the banks of her pond, casting our lines, waiting for the catch. The first time I got a bite, my adrenalin kicked into high gear - I couldn't pull the fish up fast enough! So, I dropped my rod and began pulling the line with my hands!! When that beautiful catfish landed on the bank, I danced like an excited child! Our total catch that day was seven, five of which I CAUGHT!!! To say that I was "hooked" was an understatement. 

Sadly to say, years passed with very few fishing adventures like the one from 1991. The year 2006 found us at a new church in Senatobia, MS. One of the men who had started attending our church invited us to come to his house to fish. We were there on a "spiritual" visitation one day when he asked would I like to catch a fish (I had expressed to him my love for fishing). We went outside and it wasn't long until I had a bite. Oh, that fish gave me a run for my money. My husband asked if I needed help, and I simply replied, "No, this is MY fish!!" The one I caught that day weighed at least twelve pounds. Wow!!! What excitement! My husband was after the soul of the man and his wife but, I was after the fish in their pond!!

As I remembered these two fishing "expeditions", I was also reminded of a message I heard years ago regarding fishing. The story was told about a convention of fishermen. They gathered together and talked about the best places to catch fish, the best fishing gear to buy. Boats were discussed, and stories were shared of past fishing experiences. Convention attendees talked about fishing from every angle, and with every angle.... but they did NOT fish!!

My husband also preached a message a few years ago entitled, "Let's Go Fishing", and he spoke from his heart about winning souls (a subject my husband is passionate about). I was stirred by that message, as I always am whenever my husband shares his deepest burden. But, this morning, my heart is pondering these questions - When was the last time I went fishing? How long has it been since I reached out to someone, with a desire to reach their soul?

I hope this blog post subject stays with me for a long, long time. 

I'll close with this sweet Sunday School song that I learned when I was young, and then taught to children through the years:

I will make you fishers of men

Fishers of men, fishers of men

I will make you fishers of men

If you'll follow Me

If you'll follow Me

If you'll follow Me

I will make you fishers of men

If you'll follow Me

We can know all there is to know about natural fishing but, until we get out to the pond and cast out our lines, we'll never reel them in. The same goes for spiritual fishing - we can know all the techniques for reaching the lost but, until we get out and meet people, we will see no one "caught".

God bless you all this Terrific Tuesday and I hope we have some good fishing tales to share with each other soon!