Fishers of Men

And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”  Mark 1:17

The fishy smell was such a part of Peter’s life that he scarcely noticed it anymore. It was the smell of money. Of survival. He straightened his aching back and looked down the shoreline where James and John were cleaning their nets. Fishing was all they knew, and all they expected to know. They took orders, sold fish, and paid the bills. What else was there? But then that Rabbi in the white robe set a sandaled foot on the edge of Peter’s boat and said the strangest thing: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Rabbis didn’t fish and they didn’t talk to fishermen. They lived in a sanitary world of ideas, theology, and discussion. What kind of a rabbi would choose some smelly fishermen to be His protégés? The One who really knew them.  

Jesus saw leadership potential in rough dock workers, shady IRS agents, and women with a past because He really knew them. From earth’s rabble, Jesus created world-changers and He did it with two simple words: “Follow me.” When we obey those words, we learn from the best how to live this life and how to help others live theirs. Jesus did not begin His disciple-making by pointing out all their flaws. He simply modeled godliness and taught them in ways they understood. 

He reminded them that when they fished with nets they caught a lot of junk—but they didn’t stop fishing. They picked out the trash and cast the nets again. As fishers of men, they would also catch a lot of junk: hate, rejection, and disinterest. But they should never stop fishing. That made sense to them. They didn’t have to be somebody else to follow Jesus, they could be fishermen for Him.

Leaders motivate people to follow Jesus by connecting with them right where they are. 

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