Losers Like UsSmakprov

The Overshadowed Ones

As long as I thought I was fulfilling God’s call for my life by working as a teacher and pursuing a PhD, I was happy to watch [my old church] going gangbusters from several hundred miles away. But when both my teaching job and my PhD fell through and I was left with no dream of my own, I wrestled with the nagging idea that maybe I was such a loser that God needed to get me out of the way in order to grow [that church]. Such thoughts may sound silly, but they are a disturbing reality in the mind of a loser. The loser’s logic is simple: knowing what I know about myself, why would God use me to do anything, when others are far more qualified, prepared, and willing?

The loser trait for three of Jesus’ disciples—James the Less, Thaddeus, and Andrew—is that they always seem to be last instead of first, forgotten and overshadowed by others.

Scripture says almost nothing about the first two. But Andrew has some shining moments. So why is he known as little more than Simon Peter’s brother (e.g., Matthew 4:18 and 10:2; Mark 1:16; Luke 6:14; John 1:40 and 6:8)? Why doesn’t he get more credit?

We may never know why. But to the gospel writers, he always seems to be in Peter’s shadow.

Does Andrew ever feel jealous or bitter about being overshadowed? We don’t know. But we do know he becomes known for introducing people to Jesus, including Peter himself (John 1:41-42). Think of it. We might never have heard of Peter at all if Andrew hadn’t introduced him to Christ.

Most of us wouldn’t choose a lifetime of living in someone else’s shadow. But somehow, Andrew overcomes any negative feelings about it. He develops such deep faith and courage that he actually looks forward to his own martyrdom, considering it one last way to identify with Jesus to the very end. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs records Andrew’s amazing speech of ecstasy upon seeing his own cross ahead of him: “O cross, most welcome and long looked for! with a willing mind, joyfully and desirously, I come to thee, being the scholar of him which did hang on thee; because I have always been thy lover, and have coveted to embrace thee.”

By this time, Andrew clearly does not care whether he gets more or less attention than Peter. His focus is on Christ alone.

If you feel forgotten, overlooked, or even like a bit of a loser, take heart. God sees you and knows you; to him, you are never in the shadow of another. His plan for you is just as wonderful and important as his plan for anyone else. Seek it, find it, and fulfill it by his grace.