November 17

Friendship Equity

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses . . . did write, Jesus of Nazareth (John 1:44, 45, KJV).

Scripture: John 1:43-51

Song: “Lead Me to Some Soul Today”

I still remember one crisp, perfect fall afternoon that I spent shadowing my grandfather around his little Midwestern hometown on errands. As we walked toward home, I mentioned that he had forgotten to pay for the phonograph needle at the stereo store, and my grandmother’s medicine at the doctor’s office, nor had they remembered to charge him. When he told me that neither he nor they had forgotten, and that he would settle up later, I began to understand that the nearly 50 years of trust and credibility he had built up in town was worth more than anything in a wallet.

In John’s account, Jesus called Andrew, and then Andrew brought Simon Peter. Next, Jesus called Philip, and planned to add Nathanael to the group. Notice that Peter shared Philip’s hometown. Peter was outgoing, never suffered from shyness and would one day preach at Pentecost. Surely, Peter seems a natural choice to have persuaded Nathanael, but God used Philip instead. Philip’s friendship with Nathanael may have built up an “equity” of trust and credibility that Peter could not match. Perhaps there are people in our lives who need to meet our Jesus. Though others may seem more qualified to make the introduction, we may have built up a friendship equity that no one else can touch. And friendship, after all, cares nothing for qualifications.

Father, please show me the souls that I am uniquely positioned to reach. In my Savior’s name, amen.