I Will Make You

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  -Jesus (Matthew 4:19)

Thank God.

Left to myself, it wouldn’t look good. There is not much in me that is naturally disposed to the work of God. I’m selfish.  I’m not real magnetic. I’m a bit moody. I have bad days. As for evangelism, I can be pretty introverted. But this verse gives me great hope. It gives me great joy. If I follow Jesus, he can make me into what I need to be. Fewww!

Thank you, God.

For so long, I’ve thought of successful ministry as some magical dose certain people receive, some special x-factor certain people possess. Or perhaps, ministry hinges on strategy and technique. But this verse starts me somewhere else.

This verse starts with bumbling fishermen in some hick town.  The fact that Jesus says he will make them fishers of men tells me everything I need to know. It tells me they are decidedly not fishers of men. They’re just fishermen. It tells me the key to ministry isn’t in where you start but where you go, and where you go is determined by who you follow. And now we’re back…

If I follow Jesus, he can make me into his worker, and that’s good news for a guy like me.  Amen.