Come and See

In the first chapter of the Gospel according to John, after John the Baptizer has baptized Jesus, we find two of John's disciples trading loyalties and leaving John for Jesus.

Jesus turns and sees them and asks, "What are you looking for?"

The disciples answer with their own question: "Where are you staying?"

Jesus doesn't answer with an address but says, "Come and See."

So the disciples formerly belonging to John follow Jesus and hang out with him for an afternoon. It's hard to tell if they felt their lives changed in that afternoon or if it took longer for them to understand. But they were excited and they believed Jesus was the one they'd been waiting for, that the fulfillment of a promise was right here in front of them.

One of the disciples, Andrew, went to find his brother, Simon. The gospel narrative gives us the impression that Jesus got one look at Simon and sized him up immediately. "I'm going to call you Cephas." Peter. Rock. 

And so with just a few lines, we find out this much about Jesus.

Show him a little curiosity and he's going to issue an invitation. He may not give you a direct, fact-based answer, but he'll offer an invitation that will send you running to your kin, extending the invitation.. "Come here! Look who we found!"

Then, Jesus might have one look at you and change your name, give you your identity, tell you who you are. 

It's as simple and as dangerous as that.