Gone Fishing

One of the Biblical models for mission is that of the fisherman.  Four of the first disciples fished for their living, most prominently, of course, Peter.  The idea is of going to catch, or engage with, folk.  Fishing can seem like a fairly passive thing to do - just waiting to see what gets caught.  But the good fisherman is actively engaged, trying to achieve results not just waiting to see what they might be.  

As George Lings points out: "I have never met a desultory fly fisherman.  They can be puzzled, discouraged or frustrated, but they don't go fishing to sit around or do a bit of bird watching.  Fly fishermen watch the water to see where the trout are rising, they compare notes about what flies the fish are taking, and they cast accordingly.  Spotting opportunity and taking action is one way of describing this process" (in "Pioneers 4 Life" ed David Male, BRF, 2011, p. 38).

Are we sitting around waiting for mission to happen or are we spotting opportunities and taking action?