Friday, March 17, 2006

So Rebecca told me my ramblings had continued long enough on this subject and I shouldn't post this, but I'm bored and I want to.

Fishing. When Jesus called the fisherman to be his disciples fishing was their life. The analogy of being "fishers of men" rang true for them. When they fished it was their life. Some days they got lucky and some days they weren't so lucky - but they obviously caught a good number of fish in their nets ... otherwise they would have become carpenters.

When you say fishing today images of a middle aged guy standing in a river up to his thighs in water and not catching a single fish. Always telling the story of the one that got away, exageratting the size of his real catch, and otherwise just doing it as a hobby at best.

When a pastor reads that we should be fishers of men - to a 21st century group of pre-Christians or nominal Christians ... how many think of fruitless efforts standing in freezing water just to destract youreself from the harsh realities of life?

Things are different now ... why do we still use the same analogies as though they have the same effect?

1 comment:

Pastor Bill said...

Not so long-winded this time. I'm disappointed :)

Anyway, I think we use the same old language and the same old analogies because we're comfortable with them as believers. That's not to say we don't or shouldn't shake them up a bit - you know, re-envision, if you will. You're right - most of us don't understand fishing. But what do you want suggest: "Follow me and I will make you investors of people?" "Follow me and I will make you carpenters of people?" This is where we need to take the meaning and shift it. Fishers of men. What does that mean? How do we apply it now? I know that's what you're saying, but I don't think we can get away from the original... You know? We can only explain it... But then, I'm not sure I'm up to explaining it right now anyway...