September 15, 2024

John 1.40–42 (NIV)
Andrew . . . 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.” . . . And he brought him to Jesus.

God allows people to step into our territory so we can plant seeds that He can then water and cause to grow.*

I have two sons – twins. They are grown men now, both married. But they are still best friends. I can picture either of them in Andrew’s position. If one of them had wonderful news, he wouldn’t be able to wait until he could share it with his brother. (In fact, when they have news, they call each other before they call me or even, sometimes, their wives!) That’s the attitude of love we should have toward anyone who hasn’t met Jesus.

Peter may have been the charismatic, impulsive, and well-known evangelist but he would not have met Jesus if his brother, Andrew, had not shared the good news of the Messiah with him. Andrew, the quiet servant who led the leader to Jesus, is mentioned two more times in John. Both times he was bringing someone to Jesus.

Perhaps, unlike Andrew, we will never know what fruit is produced from the seeds we have sown, but we still have our assigned tasks: to plant the seed or to water it (I Corinthians 3.5 and 6), and wait for God to make our garden grow.

Discipleship is about the transformation, not the final product. It’s about the journey, not the destination.*