The Parable of the 

Fisherless Fisherman
By Richard Lineberry

There was a group called the Fisherman’s Fellowship.  They had access to streams and lakes full of hungry fish.  Meeting regularly, they talked about how they needed a philosophy of fishing with carefully designed strategies and tactics.

Then they realized they were approaching the subject backwards.  They were viewing fishing from the standpoint of the fisherman rather than that of the fish.  So they began research studies on how fish view fishing and attended technical seminars.  They had committees that commissioned experts to determine the latest policies.  They held seminars and posted helpful hints in magazines.  But suddenly, they realized that no one was actually doing any fishing.  A survey was launched to find out why.  The answer was that with all of the meetings and studying, no one had enough time to literally go fishing.

Now Joe was a newcomer to the Fisherman’s Fellowship.  After his first meeting, he went fishing and caught a choice fish and told everyone the story.  He was honored for his catch and scheduled to be the next seminar speaker to tell how he did it.  He did such a good job that seminars featuring Joe were set up all across the country.  Now Joe had no more time to go fishing either.  But soon he began to feel restless and empty and longed to feel the tugging on the line once again.  So he cut out the speaking, resigned from the board and said to a friend, “Let’s go fishing.”  So they did and they caught a whole bunch of fish. 

Yes, the Fisherman’s Fellowship members were many and very knowledgeable.   The fish were plentiful but the fishers were few.   

Our world is not short on souls that need to hear the Gospel of Christ and the truth of God’s Word.  As fishers of men, have you been fishing lately?