Fishing

My son loves to fish and his achievements are not fish stories. I've seen both in picture and person that he can catch fish. I'm not so successful myself. I want the fish to jump in the goat and figuring out what it takes to catch them is not my idea of cerebral exercise. Fishing however is a noble enterprise. Among the first of Jesus disciples were four fishermen. We can learn in life from fishermen. Let me state some obvious things. You don't catch fish in the garden, and you don't catch tuna in the local pond. It is true if we're looking to become friends with certain kinds of people. Look for people in the pond that might contain the ones your looking for. Fishermen catch fish when they use the right bait. Some times the fish will only bite on a fly that matches the insect that has hatched that very hour. If we want to catch people we need to develop the character that will attract others. We are drawn to certain people because they make us feel safe or happy or appreciated or whatever else is important to them. Honesty, integrity, courage, perseverance, ambition, intelligence, compassion and other traits are magnetic. Often fishermen need to be patient. Results are not always immediate. So it is with developing relationships. It takes time to form a true and lasting relationship. Staying in relationship and working at difficulties and sharing our stories leads to deepening of our connection. Maybe we all can't catch the big fish in the pond, but we all can become fishers of people. Maybe we all ought to take fishing lessons after all.