We Have Found Him...

John 1:43-51
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

As a parent, one of my worst fears is losing one of my children in a crowded store. I don’t know how I would respond in the ensuing search, should one of my boys become lost, but I do know that I would shout at the top of my lungs, “We have found him!” when my child was found.

In today’s Gospel lesson, Philip encounters Jesus and becomes a follower. He goes to Nathanael and says the words, “We have found him about whom Moses…and the prophets wrote!” I don’t know the level of enthusiasm in his voice, but I can imagine that Philip was quite excited with the news that he had to share with Nathanael. Philip was asserting that this man Jesus was the one for which the Jews had been waiting. The Messiah was in their midst and he was the man Jesus. Philip couldn’t wait to share what he had learned.

I wonder, how many of us have that same kind of enthusiasm. When was the last time that any of us boldly went to a relative or friend and said, “I have found him—the one who is the savior of the world. Come and meet him!” It’s sad to say, but for most of us, such statements are few and far between. We simply don’t have the enthusiasm for our faith that we need to have. We let moments slip by rather than stepping up and speaking out. It’s time for that to change.

This year, I hope that all of us can find at least one person that we can step up to and share the Good News with. Begin praying today for that person to come your way and for the boldness to speak up when the time comes.