Recently I watched an online video where a couple of men were “noodling” for flathead catfish. “Noodling” is a term used to describe where someone goes underwater to where a catfish hole has been discovered in the side of a river bank, places their hand either in front of or into the hole, and the catfish latches on to the person’s hand / arm. In the video I watched, the two men pulled up respective 30 lb and 40 lb flathead catfish. (Note that for the time being I am content in using a rod and reel to catch catfish; but, oh to have been invited to their fish fry.)
As I contemplated these men’s fishing expedition I was reminded that Christ called His disciples to become “fishers of men”.
In Matthew 4:18-20 we read,
“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”
Luke 5:10-11 states,
“And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.”
To become “fishers of men” meant that the Lord’s disciples would have to go where lost men and women are; they would have to “drop down their nets” where the Lord instructed them to go (that is, they would plant the Lord’s seed – the Gospel message); at times they would have to carry the Gospel into murky waters; they would have to labor with tears in anticipation of a lost soul receiving Christ as their Savior.
Psalms 126:5 states,
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”
But most importantly the Lord’s fishermen / fisherwomen would have to remember that it is the Lord who gives the increase. The apostle Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 3:6,
“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.”
Likewise, the Lord’s disciples would have to be patient to allow the Word of God to sink deep in the heart of a man and woman; allow the Word and the Holy Spirit to convict the sinner’s heart – such that they are drawn unto the Savior in repentance and faith; trusting in Jesus Christ to save them. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God is “longsuffering”; meaning that He perseveres and He is patient with the lost sinner. For it states,
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
But let us be reminded here that a good fisherman knows that if he is going to catch any fish, he must go early and go often; likewise, he usually has a collapsible rod and reel and some tackle in the back of his car, always looking for a place to “wet his hook”. So it is with “fishers of men”. One never knows when he will find someone who is ready to receive the Gospel – thus he must always be ready to share the good news.
1 Peter 3:15 states,
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:16,
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Are you one of the Lord’s fishermen / fisherwomen? If not, why not follow the Lord and allow Him to make you a “fisher of men” today and help share the good news of Jesus Christ. Remember that someone heard the call to come follow the Lord; He made them to become a “fisher of men”; and as a result you came to receive Christ as your Savior. Let us never forget that there are souls to be rescued and souls to be saved – and let us never forget that the Lord is ever longsuffering and patient; thus, we must be likewise in our service as “fishers of men”
