What Kind of Fish are You?

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do you understand all these things?" "Yes," they said, "we do." Then he added, "Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old." Matthew 13:47-52

 Meditate on fishing.

What kind of fish are you?
Aquarium at Charleston, SC

The Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is giving some clues as to what that Kingdom is going to be like. Here He uses the analogy of a fishing net. Lots of different kinds of fish swimming around together are caught in the fishman’s net. When He first called some of His disciples, He told them that He would make them fishers of men. (See Matthew 4:19.) The workers—who are God’s angels in this parable—go through the catch in the net and sort out the good fish from the bad fish. The good fish get set aside and the bad fish get thrown away. Jesus specifies that the good fish are righteous people, whereas the bad fish are corrupt, or wicked people who will be thrown into a fiery furnace. Is that hell? The “gnashing of teeth” is also used in another parable about servants.

Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Matthew 25:30

Outer darkness…. It is associated with the gnashing of teeth, which is not a pleasant activity. Will you be gnashing your teeth when the Kingdom comes? Or will you be part of the righteous group of “fish” that are set aside? The choice is up to each person—but don’t wait too long. Times and situations change so quickly. We never know when we may be caught up in that fishing net. It may be soon…as Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer.

May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

            What do we learn about Jesus from the Matthew 13:47-52 focus passage today? Are you learning new gems of truth from Him?

 

Prayer – Lord Jesus, open my eyes that I may see Your gems of truth. Help me listen and obey.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ As for us, we can't help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation--a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

 

© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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