Summary: Growing up in the beautiful Pacific Northwest gave my three brothers and me lots of opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. One of the things I especially liked was fishing. When I was younger, I thought all it took to be a good fisherman was getting to the river, at the right time, in the right season, and casting a line. But, catching a fish is only the first step.As critical as catching a fish is being prepared to handle the fish afterward. You need to know what you're going to do with the fish once it's caught. Being unprepared to handle my catch didn't keep me from fishing, but it did make it much more difficult. The Bible says that Jesus will make us "fishers of men." Just as it's important to "fish for men" it's also important to have a follow-up plan. Get out there and "go fishing," for sure! It's better to fish and be unprepared than not to fish at all. But, even better yet is to pray and ask the Lord to show you how to disciple, come alongside, and encourage a new believer. Today, let's get out there and be "fishers of men" but let's also be prepared to take care of and nurture our catch.
