Impressionable?

I’ve heard that everyone we meet makes an impression on us. It might be very small or huge, short or long term, but one-on-one encounters shape our lives. This seems true because . . .

In John’s Gospel are narratives about people brought into contact with Jesus and the changes that followed. In every case, they are never the same. Either they believe and follow Him or the turn away in unbelief. This draws my attention to the power of Jesus’ personality and words and makes me think about the people that have had a powerful influence on my life.

My parents are obviously near the top of the list as are several friends, even people I’ve heard at conferences, particularly writers who said things that stuck with me. However, like the people John wrote about, Jesus has had the greatest influence. As the Bible says, the more I gaze at Him and read about His life, the more He transforms my life.

Jesus made an big impression on a man named Andrew who wound up bringing others to Him. The first was his brother Simon:

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). (John 1:40–42)

The next was a young boy:

Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” (John 6:5–9)

He may have mentioned the boy’s lunch with hesitation, but that small offering wound up being a huge feast as Jesus used it to feed a multitude.

Later Andrew brought some visitors in Jerusalem to Jesus:

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. (John 12:20–22)

Andrew met Jesus and was transformed. Because of him, others were also greatly influenced. The most obvious was his brother whose life was changed and who became a powerful leader in the early church. However, the little boy who gave up his lunch was changed too. I cannot imagine how he reacted to seeing how his small offering fed over five thousand people. In today’s world, many missions and service groups tell of the importance of the smallest donation. Jesus has proved that He can multiply just a little to serve many!

As for the Greek visitors, Andrew showed two things. One was the value of knowing the Old Testament and obeying its ideals:

“Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name’s sake (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name. (1 Kings 8:41–43)

This is from a prayer of Solomon as the temple was dedicated. It is prophetic in nature and may have been Andrew’s basis for doing what the Greeks asked showing them hospitality. These gentiles were not on the best of terms with the Jews yet the world was changed because the Gospel included all people.

The other was Andrew’s wisdom in team-work. Philip told him about these Greeks and the two of them went to see Jesus, taking this opportunity to Him rather than spurning them as others might have done.

Andrew’s life was changed. As Simon Peter’s brother, he’d likely been a fisherman but became a disciple who had influence on his brother and others. He was willing to meet needs without many resources of his own and help people find Jesus, people he didn’t have any relationship with.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I’m not Andrew, but there are lessons to be learned from observing his life and having the same heart toward You and toward those in need as he did. As I ponder this, I know You also expect me to live by the changes You have made in my life. I want to be as sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to the needs around me as Andrew was, and always as willing to bring others to You, offering even the smallest of resources that You might use to bless them, and willing to direct anyone to You, even people I might otherwise consider outsiders.