If fishing is one of your passions, you will love our scripture lesson for today. Though I prefer hunting to fishing, I have a soft spot in my heart for fishing because of a childhood experience. I was about 10 or 11 years old. One Wednesday afternoon Papa took me with him to a nearby pond to do a little fishing. I was just learning to use a rod and reel. Papa caught a little bass weighing about half a pound. Then he had to leave for prayer meeting. He asked me if I wanted to stay a bit longer and make a few casts. Of course I did. I remember to this day the top-water plug I was using. I tossed it over near some reeds and let it lie still for a few seconds. Then I just twitched it a couple of times. Then something exploded all over that plug, like an NFL linebacker demolishing a quarterback. I jerked hard and then hung on for dear life. I don't know how long I fought that fish. Once or twice I thought it was going to pull me into the water. When I finally got him to the edge of the pond, I grabbed him by the gills and ran home. I couldn't wait for Papa to return from prayer meeting and see my three and a half pound bass. Mama took a picture of us, Papa holding that puny little fish he caught beside my monster of the deep. I can show you the picture at home as living proof. Of course, I was hooked for life.

Luke's fish story involved a lot more fish than mine.