Dare to be kind

Let me tell you about a nice man who dared to be kind and helpful, but appeared to get little credit for his thoughtfulness.

He gave one man his best start in life.

He opened the door for others to get a real break, with the chance to start a new life.

On another occasion he resolved a tricky situation.

Yet for all his efforts he was often sidelined and obliged to take a back seat.

The man I have just described is Andrew, our Patron Saint whom we remember at the end of this month.

Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist but had come to realise that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah (John 1.35-39).

After spending a few hours with Jesus Andrew then confronted his brother Peter with the startling announcement:“We have found the Christ, the Messiah promised by God”(John 1.40-42).

Andrew was also the disciple who introduced a group of God fearing Greeks to Jesus (John 12. 20-22).

Finally it was Andrew who saw the boy with the loaves and fishes and brought the boy with his lunch box to Jesus, and we know what happened after that (John 6.1-9).

Yet Andrew was sidelined. When Jesus wanted to reveal his true identity to the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus took Peter, James and John. (Mark 9.1-8).

James and John were unlikely candidates for this privileged position.

They were well dubbed the ‘sons of thunder’(Mark 3.17) . John lived on a short fuse.

When a disciple whom they did not recognise was seen healing people John wanted him stopped (Luke 9.49-50).

When a city refused to welcome Jesus the two brothers wanted the place annihilated (Luke 9.51-56).

The two brothers were real pushers and tried to steal a march on the other ten disciples (Mark 10.35-41).

Yet they were preferred to Andrew on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Now if we were in that position we would have taken the huff.

But somehow Andrew was not like that. He was sufficiently broad-minded to grasp the wider dimensions of Jesus’ministry.

He had such a deep and mature character that he rested in the confidence of what he had accomplished, and was willing to leave the decisions to Jesus.

But, above all, Andrew had by this time such a trust in Jesus that he was willing to be directed by the Lord.

Andrew showed an enormous amount of character.

Thank goodness there are many Andrews in our community who conduct themselves with the same depth of character and breadth of outlook.

They dare to be kind and thoughtful for others.

They are prepared to do more than is expected from them, yet do not need to be in the limelight.

Many unheralded parents, neighbours, friends without fuss perform Andrew-like kindnesses for others.

Thank goodness for such fine people.

If this is the way we can conduct ourselves with others, then we can also dare to believe.

Right now religion is not very popular.

As far as church and chapel are concerned people are voting with their feet.

But, following Andrew’s example, we dare to believe.

What was Andrew’s inner motivation?

Remember how he first met Jesus after John the Baptist had described the Lord as‘The Lamb of God’(John 1.36).

Andrew spent some time with Jesus.

We do not know what happened. But we can be certain that the Andrew who met his brother was a transformed man.

“We have found the Messiah,” He had shouted (John 1.41).

These were revolutionary words created in the eternal moment when Andrew saw the Son of God.

That was why Andrew did not need to climb the Mount of Transfiguration.

He already knew Jesus’true identity, he had already seen the Lord.

Andrew’s vision can be everyone’s vision.

We know the secret about Jesus.

Jesus is our Messiah. We live daily under the Messiah’s protection, guided by the Messiah’s voice, and encouraged by the Messiah’s inner presence.

In our conduct we seek to follow the Messiah’s example in caring, supporting and helping others. Christianity is not an introverted religion for a diminishing few.

It is an exciting way of life for everybody.

“We have found the Christ, the Messiah, from God”(John 1.41).