Yesterday a young friend of mine stirred the juices on this subject... and I knew I needed to jot down some thoughts on what immediately popped into my head, If not for you for myself.
She was pondering *where*~*What country they might go to as she was getting a passport. She asked if anyone wanted to join in with her... And I quickly thought.. "Go on Mission?" Heck I am on mission right where I am every day! haha I live in a mine field of mission work, with much work to be done every day.
Then I remembered our marching orders as Christians.. "Go & Tell." We go somewhere every day!! We *Go* to the areas our families are, the store, the work, some club, and *as we are going* we are to tell.
To tell of Jesus' love for everyone, to tell of what he does for me each day. To tell when we know some belief or action does not meet up with our guidelines for living. We tell either by words, actions or in responses. We are probably the only commercial they will ever watch on Christians. (Be real)
Then He says... The Lord says, He will make us fishers of men. Have you really thought about that in detail? These fishermen were going to be fishers of men. HOW does a fisherman catch fish? How are we to catch men, women, boys, girls? Well let's see.. I only know 4 fishermen really pretty well. So I will tell of what I know of 2 of them.
Mom & Dad Gulley. OH she Loved to fish and Dad went along. haha
First .. you decide .. I'm going fishing.
Then where will we *go*? Where are the fish? What will I need for bait? How much bait will I need? How long will I be fishing? I better take some sandwiches & some coffee, might be a while before I catch anything. Got it all together now, and off we go.
Now they know a good fishing spot.. so we head there. We set up our lawn chairs. Our bait is in the cooler to keep it fresh. Now bait our hook & get at it!
Dad sits in his chair, tosses out his line, lays the pole down, and pours a cup of coffee as he waits for the fish to 'come' and take the bait. Once in awhile he would get a fish... most times his line would tangle up with someone else or something in the water... lol
Mom on the other hand baits her hook, throws out her line and wiggles it. Reels it in slowly, tosses it out.. walks up and down the bank!! she does this over & over & over and then we hear.. I GOT ONE!!! She went to the fish, brought the right bait, waited and worked and bided her time. She would set down then, rest a minute, and start over again. There just might be one more hungry fish out there.
The Lord also talks about the Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few... we need to get out into the harvest. But how do we get that harvest in? Ever harvested anything? It is a process to say the least, and there needs to be all kinds of workers... sometimes like our teeny tiny patch of tomatoes, Bud does it all.. but if I think of a big field needing harvesting wow.
So .. each spring we purposely till up the ground making the soil ready to receive the seed or plant. Who are we tilling?
We can plant a seed, or toss out a bunch depending on things. Then we need to water, and fertilize, and weed, and weed & water all summer... several months there. Long, patient, steady work, But the harvest begins to come in from our / his work. One or 2 tomatoes at a time. Then we have more than we can eat from our 'tender care.' Harvest some years is abundant, tasty little tomatoes all summer long, other years slim, but a harvest non the less.
God is in control, just asking us to do our part, where ever we might be put.
So we GO! we are always going, doing something somewhere. :-)
We TELL.. with mouth, action, response. Be careful here... kind, gentle, but truthful & real.
We Bait.. Salt them? We take time.. We are patient with where they are... we are ready for the long haul it just might be.
We may plant, we may be a waterboy for someone that has planted, we may harvest what they have done or our own field... but we are *On Mission* every day in some manner or form. No mistaking that.. AND the Lord may even call us from our locality to another place.. just stay busy *as you are going* where we are right now..
How do we look at people? those fish?
Mom alway looked at ALL people as lost and going to hell, till she found out for herself if they knew Jesus. Nice people here will be in hell too. Yes Mom.
Do they need some word? action? right response... ? Are we willing to give our time to them.. patiently working for the harvest?
Much to ponder, much to do. Focus! Each person we rub elbows with, do things with, are involved with, just might need Jesus.. and time is passing them & us by.. do NOT assume.
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