If you want to be a fisherman, be prepared to stink a little

When it comes to fishing I have come to discover an important reality, fish stink. Not only have I discovered this, but I have also discovered that, when I come home from fishing, I stink. This fact has been brought to my attention by my wife when I walk in the door after a trip and give her a hug and a kiss.

I have also noticed that when I am out fishing, up to my elbows in bait and rubbing shoulders with other fishermen on the boat, I really don’t notice that I stink. I don’t notice the smell of dead fish or bait. I don’t notice the smell of cheap cigars or the fact that we fishermen didn’t shower before coming out as we awoke too early to really care. No, what I notice is the fresh ocean air and the smell of freshly cooked fish that will come later that evening. In actuality, I don’t notice the stink because I am immersed in what I love – being a fisherman and when you are catching fish and eating the fresh fish you caught, you really don’t mind it because the reward is worth stinking a little..

In looking at becoming a fisher of men, one who Jesus is shaping to look more like Himself, I have found that one important reality must be present, we must stink a little. Now I do not mean that we need to smell like fish, so please don’t go out and hide sardines in your underwear! What I mean is that we will begin to smell like Jesus and those who He came to seek and save - the lost ones.

This is what Jesus committed himself to and it was actually what was prophesied about him. Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, ¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 2:18-19)

So here Jesus is making known his mission – to stink a little, to go to those in the world that needed him, the ones who were not the clean ones or even the acceptable ones, he came for those that needed to be made clean.

Jesus came to reach the world, and he was not afraid to get dirty (a little stinky) in his reaching of that world, because the reward of seeing people’s lives transformed and shaped to look more like Him is worth it.

As followers of Jesus we are also called to this, Jesus said in His final commission, to “Go into all the world,” get a little stinky. Are we willing to put ourselves out there as Jesus did? It can be intimidating and the prospect of leaving our safe and sometimes sterile lives and go out into where people need Jesus can be a little scary, especially the prospect that we may stink a little.

So, I would like to share three realities relational to this that hopefully will be an encouragement as we seek to follow Jesus in this way.

First reality,

Stinking is unavoidable

Just like when I go fishing, from the moment I step onto the boat, see the bait in the buckets, and confront the stale smell of fish from the previous day, it becomes obvious that there is no way I am not going to stink a little by the end of the day. I cut and grab bait with my hands, touch and handle bloody, slimy fish and then wipe my hands on my pants or shirt.

In our reaching of our world this holds true as well. We can go to great lengths to keep from getting a little stinky, but in won’t work if we are truly out there. It won’t work because just like a fishing boat, the world is a stinky place.

Jesus was judged as stinky and looked down on by the religious, but in order to reach those who needed reaching, He needed to go to them and meet them where they were, a place that some would say is a little stinky.

Take this as an encouragement, when you seek to reach those who need reaching you will stink, guaranteed, you will place yourself in their world and it may not be comfortable, safe-feeling or look real good from the outside, but these are the ones God has for us to reach.

What opportunities is God placing before you where going may mean you may get stinky? Go in his strength, it will be worth it.

This brings me to a second reality about stinking, not only do we need to know that stinking is unavoidable, but:

Stinking sticks around

Not only can’t I help but to stink as a fisherman, but once I get stinky it is hard to get rid of. I remember when I used to work on the fishing boats in NJ, I used to get pretty stinky. I used to come home and wash my clothes, shower and clean up, but I still found that my cloths still stunk a little and that no amount of hand washing could get rid of the smell completely. I would used bleach on my hands (not a good idea, especially when I would have cuts) and even toothpaste (as I read somewhere), the smell still lasted.

Sometimes, our going into the world to reach people where they are means that we may we have a scent or stigma attached to us, where people who are not actively engaged in this will not understand.

This is ok, even if this is a situation where we are judged, because stinking may be unavoidable and sticks around, but most importantly:

Stinking is a badge of honor

This is our final reality. It is a crucial reality as the first two realities would be pretty unappealing without this last one.

When I go out and I am unavoidably made stinky that sticks with me, I can be encouraged because I realized that if I stink, then I must have been around fish, which means I caught fish and the all of it was worthwhile. I have clothes that are stained with fish stuff and still smell no matter how many times I wash them. I have them, but I have to keep them in my garage because they do smell. One reason I keep them is to remind myself of the days I messed them up. The stinky shirts are like a badge of honor. When I see them I am reminded of the trips I took, the fun I had and fish I caught, they are like trophies (some people like plaques or actual trophies, I collect dirty shirts – go figure!).

It is these reminders that keep me encouraged even in times I am not fishing as they take me back and make me desire to get back out fishing.

In our reaching of our world this holds true as well. These incidents when we get stinking may mean that there are those that may look down on us or think less of us for getting dirty, but this is pleasing to God as reaching people where they are reflects Jesus.

It is worth the unavoidable, long lasting, glorious stink of serving like Jesus.

The Contented Fisherman

Below is an article by Alan Smith that I find quite profound. My hope is that it helps give all of us a simple trust and contentment in our spiritual lives and ministry:

One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.

About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.
"You aren't going to catch many fish that way," said the businessman to the fisherman, "you should be working rather than lying on the beach!"

The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, "And what will my reward be?" "Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!" was the businessman's answer.
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman, still smiling. The businessman replied, "You will make money and you'll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!"
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman again. The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman's questions. "You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!" he said.
"And then what will my reward be?" repeated the fisherman. The businessman was getting angry. "Don't you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!"

It's easy to get caught in the world's trap of working harder.

Once again the fisherman asked, "And then what will my reward be?" The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, "Don't you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won't have a care in the world!"

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "And what do you think I'm doing right now?"

Contentment is a difficult attitude to learn, but so important. It's easy to get caught in the world's trap of working harder and harder to earn more and more, when we may well already have what can provide us with the greatest possible happiness.

"Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

May you know true contentment today.