As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-20)
I wonder if Jesus’ call to Peter and Andrew in the verses above was on their minds as Jesus later shared the parable of the net with them and the large crowds he was teaching:
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:47-50).
Jesus often taught with parables, using earthly stories and concepts to explain heaven-related things. I have to imagine that this parable struck home for the fishermen among the crowds, especially for those among the Twelve.
The fishermen weren’t focused on separating the good fish from the bad while they were actively casting their nets. They didn’t know if their haul would be plentiful or sparse or if the nets would be empty when they were pulled up. They were just fishing—casting their nets and focused on that.
Only after the work was all done would they sit and separate the good fish from the bad.
In the same way, as Jesus’ disciples followed him and learned how to fish for people, their focus was on casting the nets, not judging the attitudes of hearts—whether someone had faith and believed in Jesus or not—that was something only God could do. Their task was not to create saving faith in Jesus. Their task was to cast the nets by sharing the gospel message and to leave the rest in God’s hands.
How true for us too, dear Christian.
So often, worry over how I’ll be received or how people will respond if I talk with them about Jesus prevents me from speaking. Pressure to say the right thing and fear of saying the wrong thing can be paralyzing. God forgive me!
Sharing our faith with the people in our lives is no small thing. It’s an amazing privilege that God has given us—to let others know about the God who loves them so much that he sent his Son to save them from their sins.
But whether someone believes in Jesus isn’t up to us—God the Holy Spirit is the one who creates and strengthens faith in the hearts of those who hear God’s Word. Our prayer as God’s children is that he would give us opportunities in our daily lives to share his Word with others and give us the strength and courage to do so.
It doesn’t have to be a big conversation or an eloquently worded speech. It can be a simple “Hey, would you like to come to church with me this weekend?” Or “My church has a Mornings with Moms group that meets on Saturdays; would you like to go?” It could even be a casual “I’ll keep that in my prayers for you” when your neighbor, coworker, or friend shares a challenge with you.
Keep casting the net, dear Christian. The pressure’s off. God will do the rest.
Prepared to Answer: Telling the Greatest Story Ever Told provides you with engaging answers to frequently asked religious questions, helping you feel more prepared to share Jesus and his love with the people in your life.
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Alex Brown is the marketing and content copywriter at Northwestern Publishing House. He has his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in God’s creation.
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