Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And there were many fish in the waters all around them. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry.
Year after year these who called themselves fisherman met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing. They continually searched for new and better definitions of fishing. They sponsored costly nationwide and worldwide congresses to discuss fishing, promote fishing, and hear all the ways of fishing.
The fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called "fishing headquarters." The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn't do, however: They didn't fish.
They organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board was formed by those who had great vision and courage to speak about fishing, to define fishing, and to promote the idea of fishing in faraway streams and lakes.
The board also hired staff and appointed committees and held many meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to decide what new streams should be thought about. But the board, staff, and committee members did not fish. Expensive training centers were built to teach fishermen how to fish. Those who taught had Doctorates in fishology, but the teachers did not fish. They only taught fishing. Year after year, graduates were sent to do full time fishing, some to distant waters filled with fish.
The fishermen built large printing houses to publish fishing guides. A speaker's bureau was provided to schedule speakers on the subject of fishing.
Many felt the call to be fisherman, and when they responded they were sent to fish. But like the others, they never fished. Others said they wanted to be part of the fishing party, but they felt the call to furnish fishing equipment.
Still others felt their job was to relate to the fish in a good way so the fish would know the difference between fishermen and real fishermen.
After a stirring meeting at a fishing headquarters on "the necessity of fishing" a young man left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported that he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honored for this excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it. So he quit fishing in order to have time to travel and tell other fishermen about his experience. He was also placed on an advisory board due to his considerable fishing experience.
It is true that many of the fishermen sacrificed much and had many difficulties. Some lived near the water and had to put up with the smell of fish everyday. Some received the ridicule of others that made fun of the fishermen clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen, but never fished. They had to put up with those who felt it was silly to attend weekly fishing manual study meetings to talk about fishing. Some were even very hurt when one day a person suggested that those who did not fish were not fishermen at all, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct...
Is a person a fishermen if he never goes fishing?
"And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men" (Mark 1:17).