Fishless Fishermen - be a fisher of men

The Fishless Fishermen

Now it came to pass that a group existed that called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the waters all around. In fact the whole are was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry.

Year after year these 'fishermen' gathered in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they could go about fishing.

Relentlessly they researched on new and better methods and new and better definitions of fishing. They sponsored costly nationwide and worldwide congresses to discuss fishing and to promote fishing and hear about all the different techniques of fishing.

These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called 'Fishing Headquarters'. The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they did not do, however; they did not fish.

They organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board comprised of those with great vision and courage to speak about fishing, and to define fishing, and to promote the idea of fishing in faraway streams and lakes where many fish of different colours abound. The board hired staff and appointed committees and held many meetings to define fishing, and to decide what new streams should be thought out. But the staff and the committee members did not fish.

Expensive training centres were built to teach fishermen how to fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology. However, the teachers did not fish, they only taught about fishing but did not fish. Year after year, graduates were sent to do full-time fishing, some to distant waters filled with fish.

Further, the fishermen built large printing houses to publish fishing guides. A speaker's bureau was also provided to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing.

Many who felt the call to be fishermen responded, and were sent to fish. But like the fishermen back home, they never fished. Some also said they wanted to be part of the fishing party, but they felt called to providing fishing equipment. Others felt their job was to relate to the fish in a good way so that the fish may know the difference between good and bad fishermen.

After one stirring meeting on 'The Necessity of Fishing', a young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honoured for his excellent catch and was scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it.

So he quit fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fishermen. He was also placed on the fishermen general board as one having considerable experience.

Now it is true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and had to contend with the smell of dead fishing every day. They were ridiculed and made fun of by other fishermen's clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen yet they never fished.

They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly meetings to talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said 'follow me and I will make you fishers of men'?

One day someone came to their village and said that anyone who did not catch fish was not really a fisherman. They were very disheartened by this shrewd analysis. The following day, very early in the morning, they trooped to the streams, the lakes and the ocean. Many fish were caught that day.

Let him who has ears hear.

Patrick Matangi, Nairobi, Kenya