Follow Me, and I Will Make You Fishers of Men
Pope Shenouda III reflects on the Lord Christ’s call to Peter and Andrew: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men,” explaining that true service begins first with following Christ and walking behind Him, because God is the One who forms the servant and grants him the ability to win souls.
First: Following Christ Is the Foundation of Service
Pope Shenouda III emphasizes that a person cannot serve through his own power, intelligence, or personal experience, but must follow Christ in His thought, method, and spiritual way. Then God works in him and makes him a fisher of men.
Second: The Winner of Souls Is Wise
Service requires spiritual wisdom from God, enabling the servant to deal with every soul according to its circumstances and needs. The wise servant does not burden people with what they cannot bear but leads them gradually toward spiritual life without causing despair or excessive strictness.
Third: Patience and Long-Suffering
The servant is compared to a fisherman who waits patiently until he catches fish, and to a farmer who waits for the crop to grow. Therefore, the servant must endure souls and be patient with them, never despairing of anyone regardless of how long it takes, following God’s patience toward humanity.
Fourth: Respecting the Uniqueness of Every Soul
The servant should not impose his own personality or personal inclinations on others, but should guide each person to the path suitable for him according to God’s calling, while preserving sound teaching and faithful guidance.
Fifth: Humility and Endurance of Insults
The winner of souls needs true humility and should not make personal dignity an obstacle to service. The servant endures offense and hurtful words for the salvation of souls, just as the Lord Christ and the apostles did.
Sixth: Faithfulness in Service
Service is a trust that God has entrusted to the servant. Therefore, he must be faithful in teaching, care, and visitation, and feel responsibility toward every soul that God has placed in his hands.
Seventh: The Value of One Soul
Pope Shenouda III stresses that a single soul has great value before God. Therefore, it should not be lost among large numbers, but every individual should receive personal care, just as the Lord Christ cared for every soul that needed Him.
The General Message of the Lecture
The successful servant is the one who follows Christ first, serves with wisdom, patience, humility, and faithfulness, and places the salvation of every soul as his primary goal, relying on God’s work and grace more than on his own personal abilities.
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