Good Wednesday morning, my friends.
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." These were the words Jesus used to call His first disciples (Matthew 4:19). Notice that He did not say "you will become fishers of men" but rather "I will make you fishers of men".
If you are a follower of Christ then you, like me, are probably eternally grateful to the person who had the courage to speak to you about Jesus and invite you into that relationship. Why then are we so reluctant to share it with others? Why would we rather cut bait than fish? (Please excuse me, my Maritime roots are showing.)
Well the answer is easy: fear. I can't tell you how many times I have sat with a friend or loved one and wanted to share the love of Christ with them but just could not work up the courage. I just couldn't do it. Can anyone relate?
So how do we overcome our fear? I think we need to go back to those words Jesus spoke to Peter, Andrew, James and John: We need to allow Him to MAKE us fishers. We need to pray for that. When Peter and John were released from prison after being arrested for "fishing" in the temple (Acts 4), they prayed "enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness" (Acts 4:29). We need to pray for this too - pray for boldness in sharing the message of hope with a lost world.
But boldness does not mean loud and obnoxious. It means courage. What I do every day here is not boldness - you are happy (hopefully) to receive these messages and there is little danger of rejection or persecution in what I do. Boldness is inviting your sister to church when she is in the midst of crisis. Boldness is having coffee with a friend and asking a questions like "so what do you believe?", opening the door to a conversation about Christ. Boldness is sharing the plan of salvation with an aging relative who has been walking apart from Christ for decades.
And yes, there is fear. But we need to remember that God is the playwright in this amazing drama, that He is in charge, and that He has invited you and I to play a part. Before the disciples prayed for boldness, they acknowledged this:
they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them (Acts 4:24)
Sovereign Lord. Large and in Charge. Make us bold. Make us fishers of men. You want a New Year's resolution? Pray for boldness every day and watch for the opportunities God provides to make you (and I) part of His story.
Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace be yours,
Bruce
Bruce
It's been a setup, Lord. I've been told by many not to speak. My ideas have not been mainstream. My spiritual insights have often been stretching to those who heard them. My boldness slowly corrupted over a lifetime. You are the only true healer of timidity.
I draw close to You to rebuild what has decayed. Make me into a confident child of the kingdom. Put Your words in my mouth. Give me opportunities to test them out so that I can know that they work by experience, not hear-say. Make my speech sharp as an arrow. Let my words be clear, not cobwebbed. Help me be direct and true, sincere and Spirit directed.
When bold, Lord, I will be like You. I will attract others or repel them. I will be popular or ridiculed. I will be loved or hated. When You spoke, they said You had a demon. They insulted You and called You an illegitimate child. They pulled out all the stops to discredit You. I should not be surprised if boldness brings severe reactions. Give me grace.
When I am timid with Your testimonies, forgive me. When I am bold to say You are the Christ, the only way to God, empower me. I follow Your lead, Lord. When rejected, You ran to Your Father. When I am rejected, I run to You. You are my great High Priest; touched by my every weakness.
Satan would celebrate when my mouth is shut up tight. Open it, Lord. Make me eloquent with the mystery of the Gospel. When You do, some will believe when You open their eyes. Others will crusade against You, and me. When I am rejected, live through me. You told the truth and most hated You. Then You gave Your life for them. Only Your Spirit can fuel such a life in me. Amen
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