Last week's above freezing days brought people with fishing rods to the river mouths in Owen Sound. In a normal January, they'd have been out on the ice, I imagine. That being impossible, a summer rod would work.

I was reminded that some of Jesus' closest companions were fisher folk. It is interesting to consider why that he chose people who made their living fishing.

In the nineteenth century, fishing became an image for the missionary work of the church. But I don't think that was what Jesus had in mind. Fishing isn't good for the fish. Fishing feeds the town. And the ancient Hebrew prophets used the image of fishing as an image of judgement: Jeremiah wrote God would send fishermen to locate every person who has strayed from the way.

So, when Jesus spoke of "fishing for people" he was not likely talking about the healing and teaching part of his ministry, but the confrontation with those he thought led the people astray.

But what was it about people who fished for a living that made them good disciples?

To fish successfully, you have to know the water. You have to know where fish live. And you have to know where the fish move to depending on the weather. You can spend a lot of time with empty nets if you don't know the patterns of the fish.

And you have to know the weather. You have to know when storms are likely to come up or you can get caught in a dangerous situation. To fish, you need to be in tune with the environment.

Because of the storms and the unpredictable action of the wind, fishing can be dangerous. Standing on the shore is relatively safe, but fishing for a living from a boat takes courage.

Also, a fishing crew has to be good at co-operation. Handling nets means working together. Fishers have to synchronize their actions to get the net spread and have to work together to haul it back in. The same with managing the boat. In that day, while someone steered, others looked after the oars and sail. In high winds, they would have to make split second decisions together, so they have to know each other, and listen. Over the years, working together would become habit.

All of that is pretty logical. What I think those of us who don't fish for a living forget is that fishing is also dependent on working with the community. Fish need to be processed immediately. They have to be cleaned as soon as they are brought in, especially in a hot country before refrigeration. Fishers' families knew when they set out and had a pretty good idea when they were due back. They would be ready to meet them on the shore. And the town would have spotters to announce when a boat was coming in with a catch.

When we went to visit my daughter in Ghana, we spent a couple days in a fishing village. As soon as a boat headed into shore, a crowd would gather. You knew where a net had been pulled in, because a tight circle of people was there on the beach surrounding it. Women appeared with metal washtubs and coolers full of ice. A fishing community is a tight knit group with everyone working together, needing each other.

And fishers were and are business people. They have a crew to pay as well as their own living to look after. As a child, I heard that Jesus had chosen "illiterate fishermen" to be his disciples. And maybe they couldn't read Greek or even Hebrew, but they could keep accounting records and manage a business.

The particular town where Jesus found his first disciples was at a crossroads in Galilee and a trade centre. The governor of the area made a lot of his tax money there. Those Jesus chose knew first hand the heavy hand of those who worked for the Empire.

For many in our day, fishing is a Sunday activity for a few people on their own. But for some today and for many in the not so distant past, the connection to the team, to community, and to nature was integral to this life. Fishing continues to be a good image for leadership in community.
Cathy Hird is a farmer, minister, and writer living near Walters Falls.