Don’t Throw Rocks

We were on our Annual Lower Illinois River Float Trip and it was Saturday morning. I had been trying to catch my first smallmouth bass and was having no luck. Before we headed home that day, Levi and I were fishing a pool of water hoping a smallmouth was feeling the hunger pangs of missed breakfast. Now, keep in  mind there were four of us total. Two of us had fishing poles and we were doing what we could to get fish. The third guy was scouring the shoreline looking for fish, and then there was the fourth guy. He was a bored teenager who had come down and decided he’d watched enough fishing for the day and now was seeking new opportunities. He found that new exciting venture with a “plop”. I looked over as he had picked up another rock and a moment later, another “plop”! After some instruction about “scared fish aren’t hungry fish” and a few more “plops”, he learned his lesson and we fished in peace.

I saw in retrospect how that same scene was a microcosm of life. There are those that are trying to do something positive and helpful. The guys trying to catch fish. I’ll call them the Doers. There are those that may not be able to do what others can, but they try to help the Doers. That was the third man helping us find new areas to fish. I’ll call them the Helpers. Then there are those that aren’t concerned about doing or helping, they only want to do whatever makes them happy that minute, regardless of the consequence to others. They are the rock throwers. I’ll call them the Obstructers.

In Romans 16:3 Paul said, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:” When we think of Paul’s ministry, we think of it in terms of him alone, but in reality he had many Helpers. Without the team, the results would have been much less. I’d rather be a Doer personally, but the truth is we can’t all be Doers all the time. No one can do everything. We must realize that the role of Helper is at least as vital as the role of Doer, and at any time God will call upon us to do both. My challenge for you today is simple: Don’t be an Obstructer. Don’t hinder those who are doing something right. Don’t throw rocks.

I know this isn't a smallmouth, but he's all mine :)
I know this isn’t a smallmouth, but he’s all mine 🙂