Stop Fishing
When fishing, the fisherman selects a bait he thinks will attract a fish. He chooses his bait based on the fish he wants to catch and certain conditions in the water.
The fisherman has no good intentions for the fish. The fish is meant to serve the Fisherman’s pleasure or need. For a sport fisherman, it is the pleasure of the fisherman that the fish serves. It is the joy of catching the fish that the fisherman is after. For another fisherman, it is about food. The fish is merely intended to serve a purpose.
So, we could say the fisherman is using the art of deception to catch his prey. He appears to care about the fish and offers it something it may want. But there is no regard for the actual benefit of the fish.
I like to fish. If I catch a fish that isn’t a keeper good for eating, I release it. But I admit my release is not out of love for it. I do so in faith that it will grow larger and become a proper size to keep and eat. I still see the fish as serving my purposes. Pretending to care about the fish beyond that idea would be hypocrisy.
Sadly, often, we can treat each other like fish. We can fain to be contacting someone out of concern for them when, in actuality, our only reason for contact is to keep them on the hook in serving our purposes. Do we care about them for who they are?
I get contacted often by people who ask a question that is meant to sound like they want to know how I am doing, but I know the follow-up will be about what they can get from me.
We’ve all had that friend who never was inclined to have coffee with us until they went into network marketing. Hahaha
I admit I have done it to someone before myself. It is something I am not proud of, have not been guilty of in a long time, and do not wish to be guilty of ever again. I want to always be genuine with people.
Have you ever felt someone was baiting you? Setting you up for what they really want? Well, you are not alone if you have had such an experience.
There’s something respectful, honoring, and authentic in being forthcoming when contacting others. Especially when there are long periods of noncontact. Being contacted under false pretense feels dishonoring and degrading. No one can appreciate it.
Jesus said something enlightening and wise.
Matthew 5:37 But let your “Yes’ be “Yes,’ and your “No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
There is beauty and respect in being clear and forthcoming when interacting with others. If I contact someone with a need, I do my best to get to the point with them about my purpose. That is the best way to respect and honor them instead of making them feel manipulated into a response they would rather not give. I also try to remember to tell them they are not obligated to give me a yes, as it will not impact our relationship. They are free to say yes or no without any strings attached. I do not want to go fishing for what I want. I want to humble myself and be as direct and honest as possible. There’s plenty of false pretense in this world; I don’t want to bring it into the church. Let’s stop fishing.
