ODJ: cleaning our catch
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow Me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (v.17).
READ: Mark 1:16-20
One of the worst parts of fishing is cleaning your catch. It’s a messy, stinky, dirty job that requires a strong stomach, but someone has to do it. In my family, that someone is usually—well actually always—me.
I’ll never forget the time my wife and I had a successful deep-sea fishing day. It was one of those trips where everything clicked. Fish after fish struck our bait. By the end of the day, our arms ached from fighting and landing dozens of keepers. I was in a fisherman’s paradise—until it came time to clean our catch. Back at the dock, the fun was over and the “reel” work began. Early in His ministry, Jesus invited a few commercial fishermen to trade in their nets, follow Him, and learn how to “fish for people” (Matthew 4:18-22). Most of us aren’t anglers by trade. Still, His call to share the good news with others is our mission as well.
As an avid angler, I know that one of the best things Jesus has taught me about the job of fishing for people is that I don’t have to “clean” my catch. God handles the job of cleaning (1 John 1:9). Yes, I may be called to play the role of encourager or confronter or mentor. At times, I’ve had to mercifully say hard things to those who were young in the faith—speaking the truth in love. But it’s never my job to force anyone to change. Transformation is God’s business.
We sometimes have the firsthand privilege of seeing someone place his or her faith in Christ. But it’s liberating to realize that we don’t bear the responsibility to “clean” them up. Letting go of that burden frees us to help others become the people they were called to be—more like Jesus (Romans 8:29). —Jeff Olson
What has Jesus taught you about fishing for people? What “cleaning” does God do in people who receive salvation? How do we help people grow in purity and holiness?
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Loading ...ODB: God’s helpers
March 7, 2010
READ: Psalm 103:19-22
Bless the Lord, you His angels. —Psalm 103:20
I was having a conversation with some children about God and superheroes when Tobias asked a question. An imaginative, curious 5-year-old, he asked anyone listening: “Does God have a sidekick like Hercules does?” His wiser, older brother, age 7, quickly responded: “Yes, He has thousands of them—they’re His angels.”
Angels are a popular topic of discussion, and people believe a number of myths about them. For instance, some people pray to angels, thinking they are on the same level as God Himself. And some believe that people become angels when they die. But here’s what the Bible, our authority, teaches:
• God created angels (Col. 1:15-17).
• Angels worship God (Neh. 9:6), and are known by these terms: archangels (Jude 1:9), cherubim (2 Kings 19:15), and seraphim (Isa. 6:1-3).
• They minister to God’s people (Heb. 1:13-14) by guarding and protecting them (Ps. 91:9-12).
• They are given special assignments by God (Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:26).
• God’s angels rejoice when we repent of sin and turn to Christ for salvation (Luke 15:7,10).
Only God deserves our worship. So let’s join the angels in singing His praises! — Anne Cetas
Angels are God’s special helpers.
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