“Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” - Mark 1:16-17, ESV.

It’s not a coincidence that Jesus used the phrase “fishers of men.” Jesus spoke to them using relatable words. Fishing is what these guys did. If Jesus had said, “Follow me and I will make you sowers of the gospel,” they may have more cause to reject the offer because that work would have been out of their wheelhouse. I think this was more than just a semantic choice on Jesus's part.

Jesus used these words to imply that they had a skill set valuable to His work. Think about it. Those guys were accustomed to long, hard work and putting fish in the boat. They were equal opportunity fishermen. What they caught went to the sale. Some catches were acceptable, some were not, but that was the buyer's decision. In their industry, they had to be patient and dependent on circumstances beyond their control. They were a perfect fit for growing Christ’s Kingdom.

It is true that we are all gifted by the Father at salvation. But God also gives us passion and abilities at birth. In our youth, he causes us to ponder future employment. Both skill sets and our employment tendencies are intended to be used by God for Kingdom growth. And He draws us to that work using words that pull on the strings of those passions and abilities. See how that works?

Don’t disparage the way you were put together. The way you think, work, and even your personality were given to you on purpose. Yes, fight sin, but accept your aptitudes and affinities as God-given instruments to be used in His work. This is why you are the way you are. And God knows just how to speak to you. - Pastor Mike

BTW, I saw an ad that said "radio for sale $2, volume stuck on full."

I thought to myself, "I can't turn that down.”