Fishers of Men

So Jesus said to the: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.¨  Mark 1:17 (New World Translation)

What does it mean; “Fishers of Men?”  Why would Jesus want to take men who sought and gathered fishes and change their direction towards men and women?  What is there to catch?  All the different religions throughout the times and countries have sought to gather people.  But why?  What is it all about?  What is the urgency to have people brought under a certain train of thought or belief?

Now we cannot generalize or sum up the varying motives of all the diverse religions, the numbers and possibilities would be countless.  But if we look at Jesus, we can start to see His motives at least.  Men and women, regardless of their cause, tend to have some secret personal reason for their recruitment of souls.  Jesus on the other hand, came from the Father´s side.  He came calling men to follow His call, but His call was to turn to God.  As He was calling them, He was acutely aware of the sacrifice He had come to make for these lambs and was willing to pay for them with His own life.

The association Jesus called for was not that people came to Him alone, but back to their originally designed purposes in God the Father.  Mankind was created to be with, and please the Lord its God.  Jesus was not selling a social club or political group.  Jesus was offering every child of God, the opportunity to approach the Lord and find their eternal purpose in Him.  Jesus was not looking to establish a people who followed a strict form of conduct or a particular system of worship.  His message shines with the brilliant light of drawing beings together.

It is true that a result of such a love and proximity in relation to the Righteous Creator and His Son does bring a certain type of change within the souls who are truly found to seek it.  But this is because the nature that flows from the Divine Character, is so fully lived and sought, that it overflows into the nature of the seeking worshipper.

Therefore Jesus did take those disciples and He did make them into fishers of men.  Entire worshipping bodies and churches flock together as a result of their work.  The world has been marked and changed by this revolution of belief.  All kinds of variations of religion stem from their work and people draw together for countless reasons.  But what about us?  Why do you and I respond to the call of Jesus?  If we were to fish for another soul, what would we bring that soul to?

Dear Jesus, You have been lifted up and would draw all men unto You.  Our hearts have felt that call and we would like to bring those around us too.  Please show our hearts with all clarity, just where to bring those souls we would fish.  Let us not sell a better message, or seek some hidden personal reward.  Let us point men and women to You.  Let our nets serve only to aid in drawing those precious souls to their Maker and the Lamb who paid for them.  Never let our fallen nature seek numbers or followers of our own.  But rather, hearts which open to You and long to be with You forever.

Amen