I called some fishermen to come and follow me, promising that I would make them fishers of men. You understand that I was talking about evangelism and since this call applies to you as well you can learn from this illustration. Fishing requires patience. You must be diligent, but trying too hard can drive away what you are trying to attract. When you are fishing you care whether it is you or the person next to you who catches a fish, but this should not apply to evangelism. Don’t beat the water with your fishing pole or present the gospel in such a way that it ruins the waters for those around you. 

My word teaches you to pray for those in authority over you, particularly in the realm of government. Do you find the values of those in power to be different from your own? Remember that this passage was written in a time when there was no expectation at all that the leaders would be Christians or share the values of those who believed. Are you less likely to pray for an unbelieving president? By what logic? Shouldn’t this condition make you more willing to pray for a leader? My commandment applies in both cases and you can trust me to make your prayers effective regardless of the circumstances. 

Do you consider your primary denominational affiliation to be the church in which you were baptized? This is fairly normal since baptism is a sacrament common to all Christians, and it is normally performed soon after salvation. Do you understand that you were not baptized into that church but rather into the Body of Christ as a whole? For my word teaches that there is one body and one faith and one baptism. If for any reason you should leave one church and join another, it isn’t necessary for you to be baptized again. Even though this event happens locally it is an expression of a global concept, and those who perform it should make this clear. 

Do you desire wisdom? Where do you look for it? Everyone is eager to share their thoughts with you. Does it seem that some are too eager, and speak too much and too loud? Do you find wisdom there? I chose my words carefully and used them sparingly. Don’t you find the same trait among those you consider wise? They tend to get a lot of mileage out of a few words and even their silent presence can lend an air of gravity to an otherwise wandering conversation. Have you noticed that I speak in a still small voice? This is where to look for wisdom, and when you find it use the same method to share it with others.