Andrew

 April 22, 2024

It’s deceptively simple. No hard-sell tactics are involved, you don’t have to be smart or talented. All you need to do is follow and invite. 

”The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. —John 1:37, 40-42 

John doesn’t tell us much about Andrew. When we do hear of him, he is doing just one thing: bringing people to Jesus. In chapter 6, it’s a boy who has some fish and a five rolls. In chapter 12, it’s some foreigners who are looking for Jesus. Andrew doesn’t get the attention his loud-mouth brother Peter gets. He’s in the background. But he is always on the lookout for someone he can bring to Jesus. He isn’t flashy; he’s pretty quiet, apparently preferring backstage to the limelight. But the one thing he knows he does well. He connects people with Jesus, then lets Jesus do his thing. 

We don’t necessarily need big-name preachers or famous celebrities. Sometimes they do a better job drawing people to themselves than to Jesus. But they cannot save. We could use a few more people who quietly go about bringing people to Jesus and letting Jesus make the sale. If you could be an Andrew, you would be a great gift to the Church. I think Jesus wouldn’t mind, either.