November 19 ~ Mark 1:17
Jesus said to them, "Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I used to belong to a Bunco group. Much like my grandmother’s “coffee klatch” of the 60s and 70s, whoever hosted the event “went all out.” The house was spotless, food was amazing, and there were lots of little touches… snacks at each table, special plates and napkins, and maybe even fresh flowers or a new scented candle or two. Hosting Bunco was a BIG DEAL. In my grandmother’s day, it was even bigger! I remember how all of the silver was polished, the glass snack trays and punch cups were washed, and the table linens were starched just so. And all of this was done so that the ladies could share a cup of coffee and some fancy food and play cards… or in the case of Bunco, roll three dice!
Once when it was my turn to host, I fixed beautiful, tasty food and got everything looking just right… and when the guests arrived, they began to eat, visit, relax and enjoy themselves. Only a couple of the twelve attendees really wanted to play Bunco. The group consensus was to sit and enjoy one another’s company for a few hours. Never mind tossing dice to “win” a few dollars at the end of the night. Forget shuffling from table to table and concentrating on a game. What we really wanted… and needed… was some time to visit and listen to one another… to share our thoughts and the worries of the day… to commiserate, console, and encourage busy women who rarely took a minute for themselves.
What does this have to do with Mark 1:17? I’ll tell you! As Christians, we get so caught up in the busyness of the day… the “fishing” of work, home, family, and trying to make everything “just so,” and we forget what is at the core of our faith… Jesus’ commandment to love one another. We’re so busy making everything look good that we don’t take time to truly “see” the other guy… or to meet his/her needs in Christian faith.
I’m not saying Bunco parties and coffee klatches are not fun… or that it is wrong to throw a fancy party, clean your house from top to bottom and “put on the dawg!” But in everything we do, we must ask ourselves, “Where are my priorities?” If we find we are more concerned with appearances than with being the hands and feet of Jesus, we may need to reorganize. If we find that “fishing” for a promotion, more money, fancy things, good looks, wealth and fame are more important to us than leading others to Christ, we definitely need an attitude adjustment!
If watching our favorite television show is more important than reading a book to our child or helping him/her with homework, something’s out of whack! If we can’t spare a few minutes to listen to the worries and concerns of a friend, what makes us think we deserve Jesus’ time to hear our worries and concerns?
I still like a clean house. But I’ve learned that guests really don’t care if you don’t put out special soaps and towels or light a new candle, and a tuna fish sandwich shared by friends tastes just as good as the fanciest canapé served on a silver platter. The next time something or someone interrupts your agenda, stop and ask yourself… “Is this where Jesus would rather I spend my time at this moment? Will this matter in the scheme of things more than my own plans?”
If we are more concerned about people than appearances or ourselves, it will make a difference. Jesus wants us to bring Him more people to redeem and bless… not more “fish”. What are you catching these days?
©2010 Debbie Robus
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