I’ve suspected it, but only recently discovered six scientific reasons why Mondays are not well-liked. First, sleeping late on the weekends disrupts our internal clocks. Second, we’ve been cut off from our social contacts during the weekend. Third, we don’t handle change very well. Fourth, we tend to do things on the weekend that are not in our best interests. Fifth, as a result of the fourth reason, we weigh more on Mondays and suffer more heart attacks and strokes on Monday. And sixth, 70 percent of us don’t like our jobs; 37 percent of job applications are submitted on Tuesday … maybe after a bad day at work on Monday. (Kathy Benjamin in Mental Floss)

My dad often told me to “find something you enjoy and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

“16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17“Come, follow me,”Jesus said,“and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.” (Mark 1:14-20)

It’s interesting to note that Jesus alleviates the change; he simply talks to two fishermen about fishing, while they are casting their nets into the sea. He gets to know them and talks about their interests and their plans before talking about his plans. Jesus had very definite plans; but rather than use people in the pursuit of his plans, he was careful to include and invite them.

He doesn’t ask them to give up their fishing and become disciples; he invites them to give up fishing for fish and “fish for people.” He doesn’t ask them to give up their relationships; he invites them to follow him… together. Maybe love is not simply a word we use in hymns and readings. Maybe love defines the ways in which we, rather than using people, include them. Maybe, if we all did that, Mondays would be a bit better?

Buddy Whatley (cbwhatley@hotmail.com); pastor at Bold Springs and Woodland United Methodist Church, marketplace chaplain, and missionary to the Navajo Reservation in Arizona.