I have been a substitute teacher at a local elementary school for seven years now. While many things have changed since I was in elementary school, some things have not. One thing that hasn’t changed is the desire to be first, first in line, first to finish an assignment (whether or not it’s done correctly), the first one to the bus, the first one in a race on the playground, the list is almost endless.
The “me first” attitude seems to be timeless and can have dire consequences. I suspect many if not most, broken relationships and marriages stem from the “me first” mantra. The desire to put ourselves first appears to be inborn, but Jesus has another way. If I were to ask you to name the twelve disciples, how many could you come up with? (I’ll give you a minute.) Out of the ones you came up with, which one was first? I’ll bet you didn’t know that the very first disciple was Andrew. Did he even make your list?
Andrew was the first to follow Jesus and he introduced his brother Peter. I’ll bet you remember him. Andrew is also the disciple who brought a little boy with two fish and five barley loaves to Jesus. Jesus took that small offering and fed five thousand people. Andrew made his purpose in life to bring others to Christ. He didn’t argue about being first or sitting on the right hand of Jesus. He simply brought people to Him. While other disciples stand out in our minds, Andrew’s contributions are no less worthy. He didn’t insist on being first.
Jesus said at the end of one of his parables, “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” Matthew 20:16 While this verse was part of the parable, I think we can look to it for larger meaning. As human beings, we love to be first, to be in the spotlight, to be recognized by other human beings. I think Jesus may be saying that we shouldn’t seek human accolades and adoration.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with sporting events and 5k races; everyone wants to win sometimes. But constant competition with each other for the human spotlight keeps us from seeking the path to Jesus. I think the better path is probably the one that Andrew took. The servant hearted people who lead others to Jesus behind the scenes are every bit as important to God as the celebrity preachers who preach to thousands on television every week. Every soul counts. Period.
We all have a calling and it is rarely to run to the front of the line and declare our own greatness. No, I think it’s usually quieter and more purposeful. So, the next time you feel like your contribution doesn’t matter, remember Andrew and know that God loves you and all of your contributions no matter how small they seem to you. He doesn’t use the same system of measurement that we do. Thank goodness!
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂