Yesterday I mentioned a pastor who left the Philippines 18 years ago to work in Haiti. He’s only left Haiti a handful of times in those years to return home. In Haiti, he runs an orphanage, a school for def girls, a bakery, a bottled water facility, a feeding center for poor children, a church and more that I can’t think of right now. One of the people with us asked him, “Aren’t you wearing yourself too thin to be effective?” His response was, “I was called the be a fisher of men. The more nets I cast, the greater chance I have of catching.”
The truth is that each of us are called to be fishers of men. We all have different streams, ponds, lakes, seas and oceans to fish in. His response is still resonating in my mind. Have I only cast one net? Worse yet, have I only cast a line instead of a net? When I think about all he is doing for the Kingdom, I think he is a less famous Mother Theresa. He is doing quiet work for the Kingdom to the least of these. He’s not seeking recognition from man. He’s seeking honor from God.
I started to compare how little I do for the Kingdom with what he does, but God stopped me. Im not to compare myself to others. I’m to compare myself to what God has specifically called me to do. If I’m to be a fisher of men in a stream instead of an ocean, I’m called to be faithful to that place. My role in the Kingdom is just as vital as that of someone who was given an ocean to fish. God is looking for obedience to that which He has called only me to do.
I can, however, adopt Pastor Gnada’s mindset in my calling. I can cast nets instead of a net. I can expand my ability to reach my territory and increase my odds of being more effective by how I approach what God has called me to do. I think that starts with a recognition that I can do more. Once that happens, I begin to look at what I’m doing currently and how I’m doing it. Are there more effective ways? What other nets can I cast? What am I doing that’s working and not working?
When we ask ourselves the hard questions, we see how our ministry and testimony can be more effective. We see growth in our lives and in our faith. Too often we ignore the hard questions and tell ourselves that we’re doing enough just so we don’t have to do more. I know because I do it. I constantly try to find ways to justify standing still in my faith and ministry. God has not called us to be stagnant. He has called us to advance. He has called us to love.
Pastor Gnada has great love for the people of Haiti. It’s what drives him to do more each day and to not be satisfied and to say he’s done enough. May each of us catch a glimpse of that kind of love for others around us so that it compels us to do more than we’re doing today. Mother Theresa said, “We can’t all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Wherever and whatever God has called you to do, be satisfied with it and do it with great love. When you’re faithful over that, He can take you to the next level.
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 