Do you know much about Andrew, the disciple of Jesus? You might not know a whole lot about him. He's only mentioned by name a few times in the New Testament. What about Peter? You've probably heard and read a lot more about Peter. He was the bold, passionate, impulsive one...many times acting before thinking....a little more in the spotlight. Peter wrote two books in the New Testament. He spoke and preached with power. On the day of Pentecost he spoke before the huge crowd, clearly explaining the gospel, and 3000 people trusted Christ as their Savior for the first time!! He participated in many healing miracles and boldly shared the gospel with anyone who would listen, including having the opportunity to share before the Sanhedrin. So how did Peter first come to know this Jesus that he loved, served, and followed? The one he boldly shared with others? Well...... it was his brother, Andrew, who first introduced him.
"Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus."
John 1:40-42
Andrew had discovered the good news and just could not keep it to himself. He immediately had to share what he knew to be true. What a beautiful picture of how the gospel should work in our hearts. When we find the greatest treasure, we can't help but share it with others. We can't contain it any longer, and we feel compelled to invite others into what we have found and experienced. I love the heart of Andrew. Faithful and true in the small everyday things. He never went on to write books of the Bible or speak before crowds of thousands of people, but he was faithful in his own sphere of influence with his own skills and talents. He did, however, introduce Jesus to someone who would go on to do those things. What if he had never introduced his brother to Jesus? What if he had not been faithful in that area?
I love Andrew, because he is a picture of the unending possibilities and potential that our lives have to make an impact on a large scale. He probably never dreamed of the huge impact that his bringing his brother to Jesus would have on history. He was just simply being faithful to follow Jesus and bring others along with him as he did it.
Never underestimate the importance of the Andrews out there. Maybe you're not gifted with sharing or teaching in front of large groups(or even small groups). Maybe you feel you don't have the platform or potential to influence people. Maybe you are not bold, and the thought of sharing your faith absolutely terrifies you. God is desiring to use you, and you have an extremely important and unique role to play in His larger story. We are to be faithful to Him and to where He has us now, and He will do all the rest. We may never have any idea of the impact that our lives are having on eternal things.
Behind the missionary who is bringing healthcare and the message of Jesus to a tribe in the middle of the jungle who has never heard of Christ there is probably a preschool teacher who first shared the stories of Jesus from the Bible with them as a child.
Behind the man who is studying to become a pastor and will then go on to preach to thousands in his lifetime there is probably a father who prayed with His son as he tucked him in to bed each night and showed him what it means to follow Jesus.
Behind the group of dental students who are graduating and wanting to use their careers as an opportunity to share the gospel and love people there may be a group of faithful older men who gathered each year to pray for each student by name.
Behind the new generation of men and women and who are being raised up there may be an elderly lady in a nursing home who prayed faithfully, by name, for the children and youth of her church.
Behind the woman leading in a campus ministry on a university campus there is a young lady who first shared the gospel with her and patiently discipled her as she unselfishly poured her life into her.
Behind the man who decides to move his young family into the inner city in order to start a ministry for at-risk youth may be a mom who faithfully taught her son about Jesus in between the finger painting and potty-training and play dates at the park.
Oh.... the possibilities are endless and it gives me chills just to think about it! I love to think about how God weaves all of our lives together into a beautiful tapestry. I love to think about the ripple effects. We will never know all of them on this side of heaven, but it is so exciting and encouraging to me just to think of the possibilities. You never know how God will take your faithfulness to follow Him and use it in ways far beyond anything you could ever imagine.
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