This first half of the week, I took a few personal vacation days to get away and see some family. Time spent with family on Monday included some fishing on the muddy Sandusky river with my brother Jeremy and sister-in-law Jenny. I think Jeremy fished for a good couple of hours while I fished for a half an hour (I read the rest of the time).
Both my brother and I caught 4 fish each. We both caught 3 white bass, a modest but still respectible sized fish. However, both of our fourth catches happened to be this larger species of fish. When I reeled mine in, Jeremy, Jenny, and I gasped and congratulated each other on the fine winning we recieved. "That must be a walleye!" When Jeremy caught his "walleye", his seemed even bigger.
Our celebration was a bit too soon and very short lived however because when Jeremy and Jenny's dad cleaned the fish that night, Jenny's dad, Gene, said the BIG fish were called "Sheephead" - a totally discusting and practically unedible fish. Fishermen usually throw them back. Another name for Sheephead is "Sucker Fish" because you're a sucker for catching it.
The whole situation was exciting, then disappointing, then funny. And then I thought - "Hey, I bet this relates to something in my Christian life (I think that statement a lot since I'm preaching to high school students a lot more now). Here's the connection: I'm called to be a fisher of men - quite literally to tell people about Jesus to get them hooked on His love and forgiveness; his majesty and awesome nature.
The good news is that there are no sucker fish out there. I'm not throwing anyone back. Everyone deserves to hear about the good news of Jesus Christ. May each of us realize that none are or were ever worthy of the this amazing gift of life from God, yet he gave it to us anyway through the death of his son. Now everyone should have the chance to hear about it and to respond, no matter the race, ethnicity, culture, personality, or hygene. The gospel is for all people. No sucker fishes here :)
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