Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Matthew 4: 18-19: Jesus Calls His First Disciples

18 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. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

My gran'ma was 100 years old when the curtain between this life on earth and eternal life with Jesus was raised and her new heavenly theater became her home. I always called her "Pardner" because she let me know in clear terms that she wasn't old enough to be my gran'ma.

Pardner taught me to fish when I was a young lad. We caught more fish together in my growing-up days than I could ever begin to count. The memories of our days together on the little Texas lake she lived on are among some of the best pages in the scrapbook of my mind.

During the last few years of Pardner's life, she was confined to a wheelchair, but her big caring smile and the twinkle of love in her big brown eyes never dimmed. Just before her 100th birthday, I took her fishing and she caught a beautiful rainbow trout in the Ozark Mountain lake that runs in front of my house. Her 100th birthday party was the greatest, as I'm sure you can imagine. Everybody that loved her was there. The guests were numerous! As I walked in the door to wish her Happy Birthday, she was nibbling on some chocolate birthday cake. Her eyes caught me as I entered the room and she never looked away until I knelt down by her side.

"Joe Boy," she said sincerely, "take me fishing." (Only Pardner called me Joe Boy!).

"Aw Pardner, I can't take you fishing today," I responded lovingly. "This is your 100th birthday and everybody is here to see you."

Her eyes narrowed in Gran'ma style sternness, "Joe Boy, if you love me, you'll take me fishing."

"If you love me, you'll take me fishing."

In 25 years when I think of Pardner, I'll remember those, her last, words to me with fondness and remorse. I wish I'd taken more time to do just that



QUESTIONS:
1. When Jesus wants to take you "fishing for men", what does He want you to do?
2. How do you think the disciples perceived Jesus' invitation there on the shore of the Sea of Galilee?
3. Their trade was fishing. Yours is basketball, school, cheerleading, band, business, home, family. How would He phrase His wish for you to witness for Him in the "field of play" that you identify with?

LIFELINE:
How can home be the first and last place we witness for Christ each day?