“…Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19 (NKJV)
The Bible tells us of two brothers by the name of Simon Peter and Andrew. They were fishermen from Galilee. Fishing is no easy task. It is strenuous, treacherous, and unpredictable. It means being at sea for long hours at night or day in order to make a catch, sometimes in challenging weather conditions, with little success.
The account tells us in the Book of Matthew 4:18-22 that Jesus was walking by where they were plying their trade, and he called out to them and said, “…Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”
What a life-changing offer for these two ordinary men. The account tells us that they immediately dropped their nets and followed Him. This decision to willingly follow Jesus immediately changed their status. Their faith is what made the difference. The brothers were the first two of Jesus’ twelve disciples.
Fishing took on a new meaning for Simon Peter and Andrew. It symbolised spreading the Gospel and inviting people into the kingdom of God. That’s simply what Evangelism is. Jesus called the two to catch men’s hearts. In the same manner, we, too, are called to catch men’s hearts as believers.
We, too, are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and following Him is an immediate task for us. We may have to lay down or leave behind some things to follow Him and His mandate – not fishing nets but old, sinful desires, self-centeredness, pride, selfishness, and so on.
The time to evangelise is always now. With God’s help, we can all be ‘fishers of men’ in our sphere of influence and demonstrate our devotion to God like the brothers did. Let’s endeavour by all means to fulfil the Great Commission by carrying out this ordinary mandate in an extraordinary manner that honours God.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for making me one of Your disciples. Help me to be worthy of the call. May I be able to influence someone to follow You and have a deep relationship with You every day, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
Read: Mark 16:15; Luke 14:23
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 116:1-11; Philippians 3; Philippians 4:1; Jeremiah 4:10-31; Jeremiah 5