How's Your Net?

Matthew 4:21 (KJV)
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.


Jesus has called us to be fishers of men. In the fishing trade of Jesus day, nets were used as the "tool of the trade" to catch fish. Peter and Andrew were "casting their net into the sea", indicating that their net was in good repair and ready for catching fish. James and John were "mending their net", indicating that something had happened that had made their net ineffective at catching fish. In another passage, we find some of the disciples "cleaning their nets" indicating they had picked up a bunch of trash along the way.

As Christians and fishers of men we need to examine our nets. Our nets are either clean and in good repair, or they are torn or cluttered. God has given us gifts and abilities that need to be utilized to their fullest potential for Him. He has also given us freedom of choice, which means I can choose to use those gifts and abilities or not. I can choose to live a holy life or not. I can choose to be a witness or not. These gifts and abilities along with my choices in how I will conduct myself are woven together into a fabric that makes up my net. It is through my life, my conduct, my words, my actions, that my net is made complete.

If I choose not to use my gifts and abilities for God's purposes, my net has a hole in it. If I choose to conduct myself in a way that is a disgrace to God rather than a tribute to Him, my net has a hole in it. If I get so busy that I don't have time to fish, my net has become cluttered.

The thing about the story of James and John that amazes me, is that they "immediately left the SHIP AND THEIR FATHER AND FOLLOWED HIM." They didn't seem to hesitate. They "sold out" of the worldly fishing business and "bought in" to being fishermen for the Father.

So, how's your net?