[281 words]
“Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks” (Jeremiah 16:16). The verses that follow speak of God punishing Judah for her repeated departures from His will. Consequently, the mission the Lord had for these fishers and hunters evidently was to round up all of the disobedient in Judah, especially those who might have escaped to the wilderness areas of Judea, and carry them away to Babylon (or worse).
However, Jesus turned this figure into a positive concept when he told the fishermen of Galilee, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). We could summarize the work of Jesus using this analogy: 1) He trained his disciples how to fish for men, and 2) taught them why this work was so important. His final instructions to them show this to be true: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15,16). Fishing for souls is carried out through teaching and preaching. The salvation of each soul depends on their response to this gospel.
It seems that every new quarter brings an appeal for teachers. No, it is not easy teaching, and, yes, it can be discouraging at times. However, the effects of this work are eternal; you can make a difference in the life of a child. So…are you fishing?
J. Brooks Boyd, Jr.
Livingston Church of Christ
Livingston, TN