YOU MAY BE THERE

In a recent class I attend at Talbot Seminary one of the lecturers, Dennis Baker, shared this parable. I share it with you.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

“Not very long,” answered the fisherman.
“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.

The Mexican fisherman explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go to the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”

The American interrupted, “I have a MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?” asked the fisherman.

“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”

“How long will that take?” asked the fisherman.
“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the Harvard MBA.
“And after that?”
“Afterwards? Well my friend, that’s when it gets really interesting,” answered Harvard grad laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!”
“Millions? Really? And after that?” asked the Mexican.

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”

The moral of this story: KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING IN LIFE…YOU MAY ALREADY BE THERE.

This is a great little parable. I would add: Minister where you are, as you are. The people God may want you to reach are in your community.