by Brian Birk

Created on: January 19, 2009

First let me tell you a fishing story and then let me tell you how I think the fishing story relates to being a follower of Jesus.

There was a man who lived on the shore of a lake and always caught a lot of fish. He caught so many fish that the local game warden thought that he must be doing something unlawful. The game warden decided to make a trip to the lake and try to catch the fisherman breaking one of the fishing regulations.

His first attempt didn't work. The lake was somewhat remote and the fisherman was the only one who lived on the lake. The only public landing was a short distance from his driveway. The road leading to his house and the public landing was the only road to lake. The road could easily be observed from the lake so the fisherman had ample time to prepare for the arrival of the game warden. If he were doing something unlawful he could easily get rid of any evidence well before the game warden arrived.

The game warden was not a person to give up easily. He and one of his fellow game wardens had both served in the Viet Nam war. They were both navy seals. During the war their routine was to be dropped off on the shore of one of the many rivers. Then they would walk through the jungles and the swamps and set up an ambush along some other river. They would ambush enemy troops that often traveled along the rivers and then be taken out of their ambush spot by another navy boat or a helicopter.

Not only could they move through the jungles and swamps in the daylight, they could do it at night. On some of their missions it was important that they remain undetected, so they were experts at camouflage and leaving no trace of their presence.

They devised a plan to check up on the fisherman. There was a different road that came within two miles of the lake. That road could not be seen from the lake, and between that road and the lake there was a swamp that most people would consider impenetrable. The game wardens decided to use the alternate road and set up a stake out. They planned to cross the swamp well before dawn and be in position prior to sunrise. They would remain undetected and observe the fisherman's methods from their concealed location.

The weather on the day of the stakeout was cold and miserable. It was overcast with a constant drizzle. The game wardens were not deterred. Although they were not as young as they were when they were navy seals, and they were not in as good of physical condition, they were still able to do what needed to be done.

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