The Catch of a Lifetime

It had been more than a decade since our niece Andrea and her two sons made the trip north from Texas to visit us. Usually, we are the ones traveling south for Christmas, so having them with us for the weekend felt like a special gift from the Lord.

Andrea’s boys are growing up fast. Kaden is 20 now, and Riley is 16—an avid fisherman with the enthusiasm and focus that only a true outdoorsman can understand. The day before they had to return home—in spite of a forecasted rain—we decided to take them on a picnic to Rend Lake, a twenty-thousand-acre reservoir that is a popular recreational spot in our area.

Shelley has a favorite picnic spot there that she calls “Quinn’s Corner.” The picnic table and grill are tucked up the hill from the lake, surrounded by huge pine trees. Picturesque. Peaceful. Secluded. Though the park itself is well visited, we have never found anyone else in that area. It feels like our own quiet corner of God’s creation.

Within moments of arriving, the boys had their new fishing rods out. They quickly hooked up their fancy, colorful lures and hurried down the hill toward the lake. Before Shelley, Andrea, and I had finished unloading the picnic supplies, their lines were already in the water.

As we prepared the grill, I realized I had forgotten the hand sanitizer we use to light the charcoal. If we were going to beat the storm, we had to get the charcoals going quickly. About that time, Kaden’s line got tangled, and he came back up to the picnic table where Shelley and Andrea were spreading out the tablecloth and arranging supplies. He helped me gather dried pine needles and small chunks of dry bark to start a fire in the grill, but the flames died out quickly, and the charcoal simply would not catch.

I finally decided there was no way around it—I had to make the 20-minute drive back to the house to get the lighter fluid. Just as I was pulling away, I heard Riley holler, “Kaden, quick—come see what I caught!”

Now I was really anxious to get back. I knew it would be “catch and release,” but I also knew my picture-taking niece would make sure there were plenty of photos of Riley’s award-winning catch.

While I was gone, the squall approached. The windy storm nearly blew the tablecloth and supplies right off the picnic table. Shelley and Andrea quickly packed up the chair cushions and food supplies. Although the forecast showed heavy rain in the area, only a few sprinkles fell. The wind blew so hard that it pushed the rainclouds to the other side of the lake, and the sun appeared to bless our outing.

When I returned, we got the charcoal going right away. Shelley smiled and said, “Wow, you’ve got to see Riley’s fish. It’s the catch of a life time!”

Andrea had a broad smile on her face as she pulled out her cell phone to show me the picture evidence. And there was Riley holding his great catch—a catfish measuring about five inches.

Yes, inches. Not feet.

We all laughed and celebrated his catch, because to Riley, it was still a catch worth remembering. And honestly, it became one of the sweetest memories of the whole weekend. Then Shelley made a comment that turned our laughter into a lesson. She said we should remember that Jesus called us to be “fishers of men.” And even the little ones need to be drawn to Jesus by the love of God.

That five-inch catfish reminded us of something important: in the kingdom of God, size does not determine value. Jesus never measured people by worldly standards. He welcomed the overlooked, touched the untouchable, and noticed the unnoticed. He also placed tremendous value on children.

When others tried to keep children away from Him, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). What a beautiful picture of the Savior’s heart. Children were not interruptions to His ministry—they were part of His mission.

That is why children’s ministry matters so deeply. Every Sabbath School class, every Bible story, every song, every prayer, every kind word, every gentle invitation to know Jesus is casting a line of love into a young heart. We may not always see the results immediately. The “catch” may seem small in the moment, but it could be the catch of a lifetime! Heaven values every child who learns that Jesus loves them, died for them, and has a purpose for their life.

Scripture tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Children need more than entertainment. They need truth. They need tenderness. They need examples of faith lived out before them. They need adults who will patiently point them to Jesus.

Moses instructed God’s people to teach the commandments diligently to their children—when sitting at home, walking by the way, lying down, and rising up (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). In other words, ministry to children is not limited to a classroom. It happens around picnic tables, in family conversations, during car rides, at bedtime prayers, and even beside a lake with a tangled fishing line and a five-inch catfish.

Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Sometimes that calling takes us across the world. Sometimes it begins with the children right in front of us.

That day at Rend Lake, we did not bring home fish for supper. But we brought home something better—a memory, a laugh, and a reminder that every child matters to Jesus.

And if a five-inch catfish is worth celebrating, how much more should we celebrate every young heart that is gently drawn toward the Savior?