Trash or Treasure?

"They're no good for nothin'!" "They're just so bony they ain't worth messin' with!" "Oh man.....a gar!" or "Don't even pull him in, he ain't worth the trouble!" These are all the classic statements that you hear about the Gar; an elongated, heavily scaled, needle-nosed fish that inhabits the freshwaters of North America.

Recently my wife, Joy, and I were fishing in the beautiful Chowan River just outside of Edenton, N.C. We were going for White Perch on the bottom rig baited with shrimp. All of a sudden she landed a fish that undoubtedly was NOT a white perch. it took a few moments for her to get this one to the boat. His back and forth motion in the approach to the boat was joined with an occasional run the other way. In the words of Joy...."I think I've got a shark!"

She was so happy to finally land this fish to the boat and was amazed at his beauty and unique markings. She and I chatted about this "garfish" and what it's potential worth was if any. I made a quick cell-phone call to a fishing friend and he said what most do -- "He ain't worth nothing; toooo bony to mess with." So....we tossed him back after his razor-sharp teeth cut her line a moment or two later.

I took a moment to google the gar when I got to my laptop. One site said this --- "If you have never caught a gar, you have missed out on a thrill. They look like something out of Jurassic Park and have been around since prehistoric times. These fish have teeth that can shred your hand and lures and are inedible, from what I hear. I am not sure what they are good for."

Another site gave a different perspective. It stated that there was great value in the meat for eating. They said, "Gar don't tast fishy; more like lobster. They also can be a little chewier than most fish." They talked of how the gar were voracious predators that could kill smaller fish with a swift strike from the side of their sword-like bill. Finally, they said, " To most people they are considered a worthless 'trashfish' but to some they are considered a valuable sport fish."

Isnt' that just the way it is in our lives? Some people see great value in others, while some deem them as good for nothing. All of humanity has value. We were created in the image and the likeness of God. At least Adam was. But...he messed up in the Garden of Eden. He sinned against God. We are offspring of Adam. So we are created after Adam's own likeness. We are born in sin. But God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. Jesus Christ gave His life for all of mankind. We have value. We are not trash. We can be. We have the potential to live out our lives unregenerated by the blood of Christ. We then miss out on all that God has planned for us and we miss out on His eternal plan for us in His presence.

Our greatest worth is discovered when we come to Jesus. We find purpose and meaning in our lives to fulfill His purpose for us -- to house His presence and to be His presence in the earth. The enemy wants to "throw us back" because we are "worth nothing". But he's a liar! We have value. Trash or treasure? It's treasure...no doubt!

Oh and by the way....you ask Joy if the gar has any value. I'll bet she'll tell you that it's truly one of the greatest sportfish that you could ever catch. Go Joy! You are an awesome fisherwoman. Have a great week and stay in touch with us on the blog.