Coordinating Council Devotions

All the boats in a line.

How many of you fish? Or like the idea of fishing?

Have you ever been fishing?

I know that Jesus told the disciples that they were to be fishers of men, but there is a reality for fishermen -

5 unfortunate truths about fishermen

They want to do their own thing.

You bobber fish? I cast and reel. You use worms? I use artificial jigs. You use a boat? I fish from the shore.

They super secretive.

Where’d you catch those fish? On that lake.

They’re not very caring and often a big arrogant.

Oh, you’re out of gas, hope you have an oar.

They’re deceitful with their catch.

How big was that fish you caught?

They’re fine stealing a spot.

Hey, you stole my spot earlier, so now I’m in yours and you’re a poor fishermen.

What were the first disciples called to be? That’s right - fishers of men.

Ya know, fishermen all go out in their boats and they all have the same mission - to catch fish.

If you sent out a drone onto a lake one morning, you would find boats scattered all across the lake. Probably no real rhyme or reason to the observer’s eye.

I want to propose to you that Peter, in his epistle, Chapter 3, verses 8-11, gives us a picture of the type of fishermen that would stand out in the pagan, unbelieving culture of the day. And I think it’s a challenge to us today in our increasingly secular, pagan world.

Let’s call it Peter’s Path to Fishing Purity:

Be like-minded and sympathetic

You bobber fish? I’d like to try that. You use worms? I guess it’s time to leave these plastic worms in their container.

Willing to share with others.

Where’d you catch those fish? Come with me, I’ll show you where the fish are.

Being caring and humble

You’re out of gas? Let me tow you back as far as my boat will take you.

Spread reliable, truthful information.

Here’s photo evidence with a ruler about the fish I caught.

Give up our spot and find out what’s working there now.

How’s the new spot you’re in?

Imagine what the world would think if this was these were the descriptors they see when they walk into any Salvation Army location.

Instead of being a bunch of individual fishing boats all scattered across the lake of the Twin Cities, let’s endeavor to be boats lined up, all in a row, so like-minded and sympathetic that clients, soldiers, employees, and volunteers can’t tell where one boat ends and another begins.

So loving of others that our community partners see the Gospel in everything we do.

So compassionate and humble that the face of the ministry isn’t the officer or the social workers, but of Jesus himself.

Our line of fishing boats becomes so visible to the lives and communities we serve, they experience the joy of being served and we experience the blessing of God’s continued provision to our ministries.

If we are truly going to live up to our mission statement or even to our motto

Doing the Most Good - it starts with our hearts.

Let’s set our hearts to live like this -

1 Peter 3:8–9 HCSB

Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.

What a fishing trip we’d have! Let’s live to make this a reality. Amen, amen, and amen.