Many people are suffering from colds and flu right now.  So far I’m doing OK, but yesterday heading into church I felt a bit like a substitute teacher.

There was an extra lesson plan that needed covering, extra announcements and an extra important meeting that needed leading.  But in the midst of it all I started seeing fish.

It started with the lesson plan.  It suddenly became clear we needed fish.  In the story from Luke 5:1-11 Jesus makes fish appear seemingly out of nowhere.  We definitely needed fish to appear in our worship space.

So the early class worked on fish.  You know there is just something so therapeutic about simple art projects.  Get out the basic materials:  paper, markers, scissors, glue.  And then the kids remember there is glitter in the closet.  And feathers.  The adults – they still have it in them.  They can make fish.  I wish I had thought to do this with the youth group this week!

You know, fish are really cool & amazing.  When I lived in Thailand I had a chance to work with a small project at my school raising tilapia.  “If you give a child a fish, she will eat for a day.  Teach her to fish and she will eat for a lifetime.”  Give him art materials, and he will make something symbolically powerful.

In the Luke story a fishing expedition is a lot more productive with Jesus on board.  This is also spiritually so true.  We get overwhelmed or anxious or fearful about what’s on our plate or what we see in the world.  This creates about a zero in productivity and, worse, about a negative ten in living life with joy.  Trusting that we’re not alone in the boat and that the one with us has a goal of love, mercy and peace rearranges our mindset.  We start seeing fish.  Colorful and even feathery ones.  Break out the nets.

Fishing is what we all do in the world.  It is our task that we do not for ourselves but for the beloved community.  Doing this task from inner spiritual strength makes all the difference.  So many fish.  So little time.  What joy and what fun.

Perhaps an art of religion (I know, a bad word these days) or of church (I know, not the greatest reputation for many these days.  Except our church;) ) is teaching fishing.  There is no pill or instant answer.  Spiritual development uses our general human skills yet the skills somehow get flipped—requisitioned for the cosmos.  A combination of life experience, study, meditation, reflection, courage, humility, inspiration, action, mistakes, forgiveness, mercy–through this we learn how and where to fish.
With whom do you fish?
Lord, prosper the work of our hands!  (Psalm 90:17)
Pastor Sarah Dickinson