doctor's life support

3rd October: The Way (10) -- Those not in the Way

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, `We have found the Messiah' (that is, the Christ). Then he brought Simon to Jesus. John 1:41-42 (NIV)

Andrew and Simon seem to have been very different -- Andrew quiet and thoughtful, Simon big, bluff and impetuous. But they were brothers and no doubt shared many things. When Andrew met Jesus, he knew he had found someone special. So the first thing he did was to find his brother and tell him about it. And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus did the rest.

The next day Jesus called Philip to follow him. Philip, like Andrew, knew he had found someone special. So he told Nathanael about it. Nathanael was cautious, but Philip said, `Come and see'. Jesus did the rest.

So begun the gathering of the band of disciples, who in their turn were to go out and be fishers of men. We can scarcely doubt that many of these disciples came to Jesus because people like Andrew and Philip brought them to him. Jesus did the rest.

We who know the splendid friendship of the Master of the Way have an obligation to share this with those who are not in the Way. We cannot by argument or by persuasion bring anybody else to true faith. That is the work of the Spirit of God. Our first responsibility is, like Andrew and Philip, to bring people to Jesus. He can do the rest. As F B Meyer has put it, `Jesus Christ is God's magnet put down amongst men to attract them to himself'.

Why is this an obligation? Indeed, what right have we to intrude into someone else's personal life and beliefs? Is there no such thing as spiritual privacy? Yes, there is such a thing, and we should respect it. But the last thing Jesus said to his disciples was: `you will be my witnesses' (Acts 1:8). Later, Peter wrote: `Always be prepared to given an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience...' (1 Pet 3:15-16).

Good news is to be shared. What should we think of a medical adviser who withheld from a patient a curative drug or a rehabilitating procedure that was readily available? Or who refused to refer a patient to a consultant who had the answer to the patient's need? Here, too, in this medical situation there are ways and means of going about it, involving `gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience'. But it is good news and so is to be shared. Infinitely greater is the love of God in Christ.

Lord, take my lips and speak through them;
take my mind and think through it;
take my heart and set it on fire with love for you
and for the people you have made.

Further reading: Jn 1:35-47. Acts 1:6-9. Col 4:2-6.

RRW