LightGrams
March 27, 2025
Volume 29, Number 11
The doorbell is a simple concept. Someone who would like to step inside your house to visit or to make a delivery can’t accomplish their purpose if the door is closed. By using the doorbell, you are alerted to their presence and (if you choose) you open the door so they can come in.
What do you do if you’re a fish swimming upstream in the river that goes through the Dutch city of Utrecht? There is a lock there that prevents them from reaching the shallower waters where they lay their eggs. To address that problem, a doorbell has been installed to ask that the lock be opened for their passage. The fish can’t press the doorbell; they depend on human volunteers to ring it.
There’s a site on the Internet (easily found by searching for “fish doorbell”) that displays a livestream (no pun intended) of the waters of that Dutch river. At any given time, hundreds of people from around the world are watching. When they see fish swimming around, unable to proceed further, they click on the doorbell and someone on site will open the lock to let the fish through. I’m watching it now and there are 1,855 others watching with me. (I just saw two fish swim by!)
What makes the fish doorbell work is the fact that many people care about fish and are happy to lend a hand (or a click) to help these creatures reach their nesting areas.
When Jesus began His ministry on earth, He selected disciples to follow Him. His challenge to Peter and Andrew in Matthew 4:19 is interesting: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Those two men (and two others in the verses that follow) were fishermen by trade. Jesus challenged them to change their focus from fish to people, looking for people who need the help Jesus is able to give.
The existence of the fish doorbell in Utrecht would be considered good news for fish, wouldn’t it? In the same way, Jesus’ offer of abundant life (John 10:10) is good news for people. That’s why Jesus left this charge for His followers of all times: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). “Gospel” means “good news”. So, what is the good news that Jesus’ followers are to preach?
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved,” Jesus went on to say in the next verse. To be saved means that we are facing dangers without Him. Jesus came to earth “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). He has entrusted us with the responsibility of watching for lost souls and then “opening the lock” for them to get through to safety.
Do I care about fish? Yes, but I’m not going to spend much time watching the livestream from the Netherlands. But I know how much people mean to the Lord, so I’m going to continue watching for opportunities to share the good news of salvation with those who are in danger.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2025, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “[email protected]” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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