“And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17, KJV)
I have been to a Whole Foods that is new to us a few times. Most of the time, I wait in the car for my husband for lack of stamina. But, this day God had strengthened me, so I took courage and joined my husband. He was so pleased. We both smiled.
We went to the fish section. A tall young man wearing black-framed glasses helped my husband, as he chose the fish. The young man weighed the slices of fish and wrapped them. I wondered how I could tell him about Jesus. He went about his service with eagerness and pleasure. This was attention getting.
After he was finished wrapping the fish and handing them to my husband, my husband started walking away, but I just could not leave.
I didn’t know what to say to the young man; I just kind of stood there. I opened my mouth and asked, “What’s your name?” He said his name. “How long have you been working here?” I asked, looking around for other customers to make sure I did not take up his time from serving them.
“Three months,” he answered enthusiastically, as he started to move out from behind the fish stand.
“How is it?” I asked.
“I really like it. There is something new every day,” he eagerly answered.
I wasn’t too sure what to say next. I glanced at the fish. “You are working with fish. You fish for fish, but there is a Fisherman of men.” I didn’t finish talking. He came a bit more out from behind the fish stand.
“What was that?” he asked.
I repeated, “You fish for fish, but there is a Fisherman of men.”
“A Fisherman of men?” he inquired.
“Yes, He fishes for men. And He is fishing for you,” I told him.
There was a customer who was getting nearer. I stopped and asked her if she needed his help. She said that she was not ready. I was uncomfortable proceeding, as she stood very near me. But I had to keep telling him about Jesus. By now the young man was completely from behind the fish stand. This helped. I was concerned his boss might come by and tell him to get back to work. But I had to keep going.
He thought of it as a joke, so he started joking. “No, I am serious,” I said. As my voice reached his ears, he immediately got serious. I looked into his eyes. “He is fishing after you, because He loves you. He is the Son of God. His name is Jesus. He died for you on the cross, for your sins and mine. He loves you,” I said, as his eyes began to get a bit teary. I kept on, “Would you like to know him?”
He answered very solemnly and quickly, “Yes, I would.” I held on to the grocery cart to give my back support and tiptoed to be a little taller to pray with him.
He had drawn nearer. I thought of a fish on a hook being reeled in. He had been getting closer and closer. We began to pray. He surrendered his life to Jesus, believing in Him as the Saviour of his soul. He asked Jesus to forgive him for his sins and thanked Jesus for His love for him.
Afterward, he came closer, bent down, and gave me the biggest hug, thanking me and thanking me. I was so surprised. He was like a man caught to safety. He was so sincere and warm.
I asked him, “Do you have a Bible?”
He looked into my eyes and replied, “No, I don’t.” I don’t think that he had ever heard of having one. I told him about a Bible app he could get to read the Bible. As he kept looking into my eyes, he again came closer and gave me another huge hug, like a child of God thankful for his salvation. We then continued talking about where and how to read the Bible. Again, he hugged me and thanked me and thanked me.
He then disappeared—a fish caught by the Fisherman of men.
“Abba! Father! Your Son caught this fish! I was not even ready for this! That young man kept getting closer and closer to You. Little did he know that it was Your Son who was reeling him into eternal life. Jesus, Fisherman of men! This young man was so drawn to You! Your Holy Spirit caught him by Your hook of love, and You saved his soul!”