The Power of the Right Gear
Recently I took a chance on a new fishing reel. Several of my current reels are getting older, and it would be nice to have a backup for when they are in need of repair.
Reels come in different sizes, speeds, and build quality. The size of the reel determines how much line it can hold; the speed is how fast you can reel it in; and the quality is how strong the materials are, leading to how durable it is.
I have determined that there is a fourth consideration in choosing a reel. More of that in a moment.
The particular reel I chose was a STEAL at $4.58, with FREE SHIPPING!!! It looked like it had all of the features I wanted, so I decided to take a chance on it. It looked so pretty in the pictures!
Anxious weeks of waiting until it arrived – but then it came! Packed in a…crumpled cardboard box, in a plastic bag, dropped unceremoniously at my front door. I carefully opened the plastic bag, then the box, unwrapped the reel, and…
The first thing I noticed was that it was almost entirely made of plastic, and the metal parts were EXTREMELY thin and flexible! It was shiny, and it had line already on it, but I’ve had cereal box toys that were more durable!
Okay, for $4.58, what could I expect? I carefully attached it to a rod, strung it up, attached a hook and a plastic lure, and went out to fish.
Here’s where the fourth consideration comes in – IS IT FUN?
Yes, the reel performed dutifully in casting out and reeling back in, but it fights you all the way. There isn’t much joy in it! Fishing should be fun, but this particular reel fills every cast and every retrieve with anxiety, successfully sapping every ounce of joy out of the experience!
I managed to catch around 5 fish over two days with this reel, but it was not enjoyable. It was like driving a Mac truck without power steering, or watching TV without a remote. I have decided that cost should NOT be the main consideration!
Over the years I have learned that ministry is also like that – choosing the cheapest option is rarely the best choice! I have come to value EFFECTIVENESS over EFFICIENCY – it doesn’t matter how much money we save if it wears our people out trying to get things done!
Ministry should be a JOY. When it becomes something that we dread or another duty to perform, we need to consider if there’s another way that Jesus has for us to do things. Jesus came that we might Life, and Life abundantly! Joy is central to our faith!
I’ve marked this reel for a return – and they told me that they would refund the money, and not to worry about returning it to them. They said I can just donate it to someone else if I would like.
Do you know anyone whom you would like to encourage to hate fishing? I have just the thing!
Keep casting –
-Rev. Bill