FISH
Matthew 4:19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
Follow: “Come, follow me,”
I will be a leader others want to get close to.
Jesus was the kind of person others wanted to get close to. The word “come” means to get close to as it is used in the original language. As I read this I asked myself this tough question, “Am I the kind of person others would want to get close to?” Jesus was a leader who naturally attracted others to him. He had influence. What was it about Jesus that made him the kind of person others would desire to follow?
1. He was an expert on the scriptures and their message.
2. He had the habit of praying and listening to God.
3. He genuinely loved people and took time with them. He was interested in others.
Philippians 2 describes his attitude. He was humble. He put others first. He didn’t cling to his status. He took an interest in what others were doing, and not just in his own agenda.
I think his humility and integrity are what made him so attractive. His knowledge of God and the scriptures and his faithful practice of his religion was secondary to his love and interest in people.
CEO’s and people with a positional title tend to cling to their status as a means of leading, but this clinging to a title often weakens, and disqualifies you from leading. The way to be worthy is to put those that you desire to lead first. Your attitude is either building your reputation and influence of diminishing it.
Who could you ask to come with you if you had no money to give them and only your life and time to offer? Would they would drop everything and follow you?
Intent to Show: “I will show you”
“I will” have a plan for those that come after me.
Jesus had a plan for these men who would come after him. He was intent on giving them everything they needed to accomplish the purpose God had given him for them. The plan involved three phases of training.
1. They were close and walked with him everywhere as he did life. They walked and shared life together eating meals and talking about God’s plan to redeem mankind. No one can learn how you want to reach people unless they are willing to drop everything first. Assess right now who is the most willing to go on a journey with you to accomplish what your vision is. Everywhere they went for the first year they watched what Jesus did and how he did it. They witnessed his life, his practices, and his way. Who do you have that is that close to you?
2. In the second year they were instructed to go out and to try out what they had witnessed with others. They were sent out do the work that Jesus was doing. Jesus gave them instructions and watched them do it.
3. Jesus had an exit strategy. He gave them his authority and then he left. He charged them with doing what he had done and then he finished his work. If you had to leave your job right now who would be in charge of what you are doing? The plan was to give the work of the Kingdom to these men to influence and to pass on for others. Do you have an exit strategy? Do you have a list of people who can replace you? Who is the guy you are mentoring to step in for you?
How: “how to fish”
I will demonstrate to others how to love (fish for) people.
Jesus was the Master at loving people. He laid down his life for others. He became our example of how we are fish for people. Jesus knew how to handle people, how to get people to like him, how to win people to his way of thinking, and how to change people without making them angry. He was the Master at fishing for people. Here is a list I borrowed on how to love people.
• Techniques for handling people.
Treat others as you wish to be treated. Be humble, and be truly interested and a good listener of what others are saying. Take others suggestions seriously. Value their thoughts without illuminating the errors in their thinking right away.
• Ways to make people like you.
Be humble. Be friendly. Be kind. Paul talks about what makes a person attractive when he gives us the “fruit of the Spirit”. Be loving, joyful, at peace with others, have patience with others, a modest opinion of yourself, and have your life in order or be self controlled. If you are a giver of love, a bringer of joy, and strive to be at peace with others you will be attractive and others will listen to you and want to be around you.
• Winning people to your way of thinking.
You can’t win anyone to your way of thinking if you are not willing to listen to them intently. You must value criticism and demonstrate that you are going to do something about it. You must enlist the critic in the cause. Be a good listener, own your errors, and engage the critic.
• Changing people without arousing their anger or giving offense.
When you need to change anything or any action begin with finding fault in you first. As Vince Lombardi says when the team wins we did it, and when the team loses I did a lousy job. Use the sandwich technique of complementing, revealing the concern, and complementing. Give the person a chance to correct the issue and save face. When you come to them have several options they can pursue to correct the issue that sets them up for success. Be their coach and encourager. Lastly, move the employee or volunteer to a different place that may well suit their talents better. Get them in a seat for success. Be vested in seeing them succeed and they will do what need them to do.
(Outline is from “How to Win Friends and Influence People” Dale Carnegie)
Matthew 4:19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
Follow: “Come, follow me,”
I will be a leader others want to get close to.
Jesus was the kind of person others wanted to get close to. The word “come” means to get close to as it is used in the original language. As I read this I asked myself this tough question, “Am I the kind of person others would want to get close to?” Jesus was a leader who naturally attracted others to him. He had influence. What was it about Jesus that made him the kind of person others would desire to follow?
1. He was an expert on the scriptures and their message.
2. He had the habit of praying and listening to God.
3. He genuinely loved people and took time with them. He was interested in others.
Philippians 2 describes his attitude. He was humble. He put others first. He didn’t cling to his status. He took an interest in what others were doing, and not just in his own agenda.
I think his humility and integrity are what made him so attractive. His knowledge of God and the scriptures and his faithful practice of his religion was secondary to his love and interest in people.
CEO’s and people with a positional title tend to cling to their status as a means of leading, but this clinging to a title often weakens, and disqualifies you from leading. The way to be worthy is to put those that you desire to lead first. Your attitude is either building your reputation and influence of diminishing it.
Who could you ask to come with you if you had no money to give them and only your life and time to offer? Would they would drop everything and follow you?
Intent to Show: “I will show you”
“I will” have a plan for those that come after me.
Jesus had a plan for these men who would come after him. He was intent on giving them everything they needed to accomplish the purpose God had given him for them. The plan involved three phases of training.
1. They were close and walked with him everywhere as he did life. They walked and shared life together eating meals and talking about God’s plan to redeem mankind. No one can learn how you want to reach people unless they are willing to drop everything first. Assess right now who is the most willing to go on a journey with you to accomplish what your vision is. Everywhere they went for the first year they watched what Jesus did and how he did it. They witnessed his life, his practices, and his way. Who do you have that is that close to you?
2. In the second year they were instructed to go out and to try out what they had witnessed with others. They were sent out do the work that Jesus was doing. Jesus gave them instructions and watched them do it.
3. Jesus had an exit strategy. He gave them his authority and then he left. He charged them with doing what he had done and then he finished his work. If you had to leave your job right now who would be in charge of what you are doing? The plan was to give the work of the Kingdom to these men to influence and to pass on for others. Do you have an exit strategy? Do you have a list of people who can replace you? Who is the guy you are mentoring to step in for you?
How: “how to fish”
I will demonstrate to others how to love (fish for) people.
Jesus was the Master at loving people. He laid down his life for others. He became our example of how we are fish for people. Jesus knew how to handle people, how to get people to like him, how to win people to his way of thinking, and how to change people without making them angry. He was the Master at fishing for people. Here is a list I borrowed on how to love people.
• Techniques for handling people.
Treat others as you wish to be treated. Be humble, and be truly interested and a good listener of what others are saying. Take others suggestions seriously. Value their thoughts without illuminating the errors in their thinking right away.
• Ways to make people like you.
Be humble. Be friendly. Be kind. Paul talks about what makes a person attractive when he gives us the “fruit of the Spirit”. Be loving, joyful, at peace with others, have patience with others, a modest opinion of yourself, and have your life in order or be self controlled. If you are a giver of love, a bringer of joy, and strive to be at peace with others you will be attractive and others will listen to you and want to be around you.
• Winning people to your way of thinking.
You can’t win anyone to your way of thinking if you are not willing to listen to them intently. You must value criticism and demonstrate that you are going to do something about it. You must enlist the critic in the cause. Be a good listener, own your errors, and engage the critic.
• Changing people without arousing their anger or giving offense.
When you need to change anything or any action begin with finding fault in you first. As Vince Lombardi says when the team wins we did it, and when the team loses I did a lousy job. Use the sandwich technique of complementing, revealing the concern, and complementing. Give the person a chance to correct the issue and save face. When you come to them have several options they can pursue to correct the issue that sets them up for success. Be their coach and encourager. Lastly, move the employee or volunteer to a different place that may well suit their talents better. Get them in a seat for success. Be vested in seeing them succeed and they will do what need them to do.
(Outline is from “How to Win Friends and Influence People” Dale Carnegie)
