A trait most of us share is a tendency to do things our own way, and possibly ignore helpful suggestions that might enhance our efforts. In business, it’s easy to see how this could waste time and produce counterproductive results. In other areas of life, the impact of going our own way has much bigger implications. 

As people of faith, we believe nothing is more important than sharing the gospel. Too many times though, we obsess over the process and perfecting the marketing. Yet two New Testament stories give us the perfect blueprint for effectively sharing our faith. 

In the first from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a group of fishermen to head out to deep water and lower their nets. They did exactly as He said, even though the night before they had caught nothing. Peter did as he was told, and when they brought up the nets, the hall was so great the nets began to break. 

In the second fishing miracle from the book of John, Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection. The situation was similar to the first: a previous night of fishing yielded not much. Calling to them from the shore, Jesus told them very specifically to lower their nets over the right side of the boat, and they would catch some fish. And once again, the nets began to break. 

Have you noticed the common denominator when it comes to sharing the gospel? This is what Jesus meant, of course, by telling them that He would make them fishers of men. Fishing was something these men understood very, very well. It is when we are obedient to the Lord that good things happen, and obedience is key. 

We don’t have to be able to speak like Billy Graham. Most of us don’t have some amazing, unusual gift of talent, but we can have an obedient spirit, and a willing heart. It is then we lose our fear of engaging others. We no longer focus on having a little memorized pitch ready. We just believe God. 

It also becomes obvious that after we obey the call to share the gospel, we’re not responsible for the rest of a person’s life. To put it a way a fisherman could relate to: we catch ’em, God cleans ’em. Just be willing. Be available. If you do that, results could be identical to those Galilean fishermen 2000 years ago. God will use the obedient person to do great things. Let’s pray. 

Lord, our efforts for you sometimes fall short. There could be many reasons, but where the problem lies with us, help us to have hearts open to your direction. It’s in you that we find the desires of our hearts. We pray that we are obedient to your calling to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with anyone we encounter. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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