Fishers of Men

Jesus Invited  us to “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). 

I am a very quiet person, and most people do not understand what it means to be a quiet person. People often try to change me into the kind of person they think I should be. I have often been “bullied” into doing things others wanted me to do by telling me I need to change and speak up more or God won’t be able to use me. It has taken me some time to learn to say no to that kind of intimidation.

When I was about 18 or so, my church took all the kids out to knock on doors and “soul-win”. Now you have to understand, I do not communicate well with strangers, and I often come across as extremely awkward and super weird. Somehow that day, though, I ended up being one of the “Adults” in charge of one of the kid’s groups. They were all girls between the ages of 14 and 16. They were supposed to be the ones going up to the doors to talk to people, but they wouldn’t talk to anyone. I was praying so hard that someone would speak up, because I had no clue what to say. One of the girls knocked on a door, and I knew I was the one who was going to have to talk. I was shaking so hard. At that moment, a little old lady opened the door, my body went calm, and I started speaking. I didn’t ask her if she was saved or anything, like the church leaders wanted from us. I just told her which church we were from and invited her to come join us one Sunday. God had untied my tongue, and I was able to speak clearly without fear. This happened two other times that day as well. Any other time I had ever been “soul-winning,” I was never able to speak clearly, and to this day I still can’t do it. 

I struggle to make myself speak, and no one else can make me speak, but God opened my mouth that day – He was the One who made me speak. It wasn’t a permanent change, but evidently the people that I spoke to that day needed to hear me talk, and the girls that were with me needed to see what God could do through me. So, no matter what people think of you, what they say about you, or expect from you, you will be able to do anything with God as long as you are willing to let Him use you.

I do not need to be something I’m not, just because of what others think or expect. God made me and what He made is good, beautiful, and unique. God wants to use me the way He created me to be, not the way other people wish or expect me to be. Let God use you in the uniqueness of who He made you to be.

One other time, I was sitting in church near the front with a few girls my age. During announcements, my pastor came to me and asked me to go talk to a girl in the back of the auditorium, who was visiting by herself, and ask her to sit with us. I knew it wasn’t a good idea because I knew I wouldn’t want to be approached at that time during the service. It would be super embarrassing for that to happen to anyone my age right in the middle of the service. But, I told him I would and he went back up to the pulpit. Everyone saw him do this. I was getting super nervous, but then I went calm and I believe God told me that it would be received better during the handshaking time, so that’s when I was going to invite her to sit with us. It would be less embarrassing during a natural break like that for everyone involved. But, my Pastor would not trust me to do what I promised I would. He stared at me after I didn’t go back right when he told me. After a few minutes, he came down from the platform and practically yelled at me and asked me if I had done what he asked yet. I told him no, and that I was going to go during hand shaking time. He said, “NO, I want you to do it right now!”(everyone was seeing and hearing everything) I started shaking like a leaf and left my seat and went back to the girl while everyone stared, and asked her if she wanted to come sit with me. We were both mortified because everyone was just staring. She said no thank you, and I went back to my seat. Once that service was over, that girl left and we never saw her again. I think about her often and wonder how it would have gone if I could have followed what God told me instead of what the pastor told me. I admit that I lost respect for that pastor that day. I was crushed and went home in tears. I have finally found a place in my church now with 2 pastors I respect very much. So please, be yourself, be how God made you to be. He will lead you to where you need to be. Be a “Fisher of Men” the way God made you to be. It’s different for everyone, God will help you if you are quiet to open your mouth and speak. God will help you say what should be said. Be who God wants you to be and not what others want you to be. God will use you where you are at in life. Follow Him, and He can make you “A fisher of men” on His terms, not on other people’s terms.

~SS