Background, the Book discusses Andrew, the Brother of Simon Peter. Andrew is actually highlighted many time in the Gospels as a frequent listener and helper. Andrew was the one who brought the boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes for 5000 people. He also asked Jesus if Jesus would entertain the Gentiles.
Despite his roles, Andrew was always in the shadow of his brother Peter. He wasn't with Peter when they saw Jesus with Elijah and Moses or the miracles. Yet, here he is playing a small but significant role in the ministry of Jesus. When I look at Andrew, I realize that God sometimes will put those we mentor ahead of us. Sarah Lim, a teacher I worked with at Toa Payoh Methodist Church, encouraged us to continue teaching the children bible stories. It didn't matter if they heard it already of didn't understand it. She just wanted us to teach them what was right and what was wrong. I realized we were building foundations in this children. When I was a kid, I always wondered about the feeding of the 5000. I took a small piece of bread and tried to cut it into as many small pieces as possible. I saw that it was impossible! Yet, I remember the action of the child and Andrew and how they trusted God with something so little and became so big. If we could give God all that we have no matter how small, it can be bigger. Maybe not for us but maybe for someone else. I would love it if someday a child would be able to retell a story of the Bible. of 10 maybe 1 or 2 will remember but I always remember how God used 5 and 2 to become 5000 and more.
Another person is Barnabas, Paul's former helper. I say former because they had a dispute. He was entitled the encourager. One who raised some one up. Out of all the people, he was the one who encouraged to bring in Saul after his conversion after none of the Christians would touch him with a ten foot pole.. When he was in Antioch, we got the name Christians. He stood up for John Mark who had sort of failed in his last mission with Paul.
Barnabas wasn't the best of the best. He was a encourager. He wasn't one of the original 12 but he supported them by selling all he had. He was assigned to missions to encourage young churches. We know that Acts was mainly focused later on the adventures of Paul evangelizing to other countries but Barnabas was one of this who helped build them up. He also took many risks by taking in Paul and defending John Mark. Imagine taking in a potential spy and a guy who already failed them (in Paul standards) majorly. Yet later, we Barnabas helping build John Mark to the point he was a son to Barnabas. Barnabas teaches us something else aside from giving to God all that we have. He taught us to trust God where nobody else would. Imagine jumping into places people would know they must but are scared too. Risk investments in Paul and Mark. Maybe he did fail a few times but he still made results. Here we learn that God wants us to makes investments but He also wants us to stick with them. Work with what you gave God because he's not gonna let you stick around to see if the stock goes up or down. He wants you to make your own stock go up. Diamonds in the rough. The toughest eggs to crack and the ones with the best potential. Those are the people God wants us to work with. Many come but few are chosen to do this but if everyone doesn't even try, how will we know who the Few are? Try something and have a spine to do it. That's how we need to make an investment.
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