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Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”…they left their nets at once and followed him.
Those who fish on a regular basis know that one of the most important principles of fishing has little to do with the type of bait or fishing gear used. These may help, but the most important principle is this: Go where the fish are!
On its surface, this makes a lot of sense. You can have the best of the best fishing gear, but it won’t do any good if the fish aren’t around. Throughout the remainder of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus doesn’t just show Peter and Andrew how to “fish for people,” He takes them to where the people are – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
When you set out to “fish for people,” you too will need to go where the people are. Not just their physical location, but where they are emotionally and spiritually. You’ll need to leave your world and enter theirs. This is a vital principle of what it looks like to love others: Find people and meet them where they are. Not where you think they should be. But where they are.
READING & PRAYERS:
QUESTION: Think of a time when somebody met you where you were (not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually). There was no judgment. No condemnation. They simply, wanted to be with you. What was that experience like?
QUESTION: What would it look like for you to leave your world and enter somebody else’s, so you can be with them today?
Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I confess that I don’t regularly leave my world to enter into the world of others, but instead I want to grab them by the arm and yank them into my world. I recognize that this isn’t love, but is instead arrogance and pride. Continue to help me love others in the same way You have loved me – through sacrifice and service. Amen.
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