“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishermen. And He saith to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:18-19.

Following his 2021 election win, President Yoweri Museveni chose a Cabinet comprising rather unusual people in key positions such as Prime Minister and Vice President.

The President shocked the nation when he famously described them as “fishermen” who would put in the work to help improve service delivery, in comparison to the public servants, whom he dubbed ‘private servants.’

Though they are generally looked down upon, real fishermen do possess a unique combination of skills, qualities, and character traits that enable them to succeed in their demanding and unpredictable profession.

Yet, in ancient Greece and Rome, fishing was marginalized as a lowly occupation, associated with poverty and poor education.

To this day, fishing has often been portrayed as a rough, uneducated, and unsophisticated profession, with low-pay and income instability. 

The Greek word for ‘fisherman’ is halieus, which means ‘hunter in water.’

Like hunting, fishing is a daily walk into the unknown, which is why it is considered one of the most hazardous occupations, as fishermen face risks including accidents, injuries, and even death.

In Greek and Roman societies, fishermen were often considered to be at the lowest end of the social scale.

In ancient Israel, the Sea of Galilee in Galilee was the centre of the fishing industry, with many towns along its shore heavily involved in fishing activities.  

In Capernaum where His ministry was based, fishing was the main activity for most men.

Regardless of your profession or career, you can carry your ‘fishing tools’ at all times – nets, fishing rods and hooks, bait, etc, to bring people into the Kingdom.

Indeed, akin to the Samaritans, Galileans were generally looked down upon by the Judeans, who considered them to be uncultured and unrefined, so much that no Jew ever expected a prophet to emerge from Galilee (see John 7:52).

It is therefore quite perplexing why Jesus would pick fishermen to be His first disciples, rather than the other highly educated and respectable professionals.

The key message here is that Jesus was determined to challenge the social norms and stereotypes against certain people.

He chose fishermen lowly and despised men like Peter, Andrew, James, and John as His disciples, demonstrating that people from all walks of life are valued and worthy of respect. 

And by using the metaphor ‘fishers of men,’ which was rooted in such an economically significant activity, Jesus ensured that His message would resonate with the practical, day-to-day concerns of the men He was addressing.

Just as fishermen gather different types of fish in one net, the disciples were called to gather diverse people into the community of believers in Christ.

Indeed, barely three years later, these despised ordinary fishermen would become world-changers, who challenged powerful empires and turn the world upside-down.

Like the typical fishermen they were, Peter, James and John had been prepared to withstand physical demands, harsh conditions, and long hours away from family and friends to do the work of their Master.

They persisted in an unpredictable and dangerous environment, after years in constantly changing variables like weather, sea conditions, and fish behavior.

They were used to working long hours into the cold nights, away from family and friends and with minimal time to rest during the day. 

What about you? To what extent has your profession prepared you for the Lord’s work?

Would you describe yourself as a ‘fisherman/woman’ who is actively engaged for the Kingdom of God?

We should not be ashamed of being ‘fishermen’; rather, we should be actively engaged with that assignment on a daily basis – working hard and patiently, taking risks to gather people into the Kingdom of God.

Regardless of your profession or career, you can carry your ‘fishing tools’ with you at all times – nets, fishing rods and hooks, bait – to bring people into the Kingdom.

Remember, the ‘fish’ – big and small – are numerous out there in the deep water but they have to be drawn out; they cannot come out on their own without someone putting in the effort.