I apologized to the fish. He was the first one I caught…at least, the first one I remember. And I don’t know if he was a he or a she. I looked at him/her, and I couldn’t believe I had pulled him/her out of his/her natural habitat just for the fun of it. So, I got him/her back in the water as soon as I could.

I hope he/she made it.

I’m not anti-fishing. I’m not just into fishing. Well, at least, I’m not into fishing for fish.

 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. (Matthew 4:18-20)

And I’m glad I don’t have to lure in the fish. I don’t have to entice them with fancy equipment and yank the line to set the hook. Fishing for men, sharing faith, isn’t a game or sport. It’s not something to be manipulated. Fishing for men is simply following Jesus. When we follow Him, we become who He wants us to become, and that includes equipping us for whatever work He has planned.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.So Jesus *said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”  And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.

So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. (John 21:3-11)

Jesus knows the fish. He knows the waters. And He knows us. Whether we’re in the boat, jumping into the net, or swimming as fast as we can away from it, He knows. And He cares. When we’re fishing, while we’re following Jesus, we can trust the process.

And that’s the kind of fishing I can handle. Sorry, Mister/Miss Fish…I won’t be catching you again. Jesus is making me a fisher of men.