Submitted Christian Writings
A Parable of the Fishermen
Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there
were many fish in the waters all around, In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams
and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry.
Year after year these who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about
their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing.
Continually they searched for new and better definitions of fishing. They sponsored costly
nationwide and worldwide congresses to discuss fishing and promote fishing and hear about
all the ways of fishing.
These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called "Fishing
Headquarters." The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman
should fish. One thing they didn't do, however; they didn't fish.
They organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish.
The board was formed by those who had the great vision and courage to speak about fishing,
to define fishing, and to promote the idea of fishing in faraway streams and lakes where
many other fish of different colors lived. Also the board hired staffs and appointed
committees and held many meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to decide what
new streams should be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not fish.
Expensive training centers were built to teach fishermen how to fish. Those who taught had
doctorates in fishology, but the teachers did not fish. They only taught fishing.
Year after year, graduates were sent to do full-time fishing, some to distant waters
filled with fish.
Further, the fishermen built large printing houses to publish fishing guides. A speaker's
bureau was also provided to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing,
Many who felt the call to be fishermen responded, and were sent to fish. But like the
fishermen back home they never fished.
Some also said they wanted to be part of the fishing party, but they felt called to
furnish fishing equipment. Others felt their job was to relate to the fish in a good way
so the fish would know the difference between good and bad fishermen. After one stirring
meeting on "The Necessity for Fishing," a young fellow left the meeting
and went fishing. The next day he reported he had caught two outstanding fish. He was
honored for his excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to
tell how he did it.
So he quit his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other
fishermen. He was also placed on the Fishermen's General Board as a person having
considerable experience.
Now it's true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of
difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish every day. They
received the ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen's clubs and the fact that
they claimed to be fishermen yet never fished.
They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly meetings to
talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said, "Follow
me, and I will make you fishers of men?"
Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who didn't catch
fish were really not fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound
correct. Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches a fish?
-Author unknown
Text file for printing and emailing to friends
 
| | |
