On Not Being John

John Shaw is a giant in the world of nature photography. He has written numerous books on the art and craft of working outdoors with a camera. His list of awards, honors, and accomplishments would fill many single-spaced pages.

The New Testament tells us about another John, a disciple of Jesus. He was a giant in the early days of Christianity, writing four New Testament books. John’s impact and influence were felt far and wide, not only during the first century but also in the nearly two millennia since then.

James, son of Alphaeus, was also a disciple of Jesus. He is identified as such in the four lists of disciples: Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15, and Acts 1:13. One hundred percent of what we know for sure about this person of faith is contained in these lists. But we have no reason to think James was jealous of his more famous brother-in-Christ or that he was less than one hundred percent committed to doing God’s will.

I’m a nature photographer and a believer. But trying to compare my gifts, abilities, or influence to either the son of Mr. Shaw or the son of Zebedee would be like comparing the thickness of a postage stamp to the height of Mt. Everest. However, like the son of Alphaeus, I still want to be an attentive and obedient follower of Jesus Christ.

When I get to heaven, I hope I get the meet James. I would like to shake his hand and thank him for exampling that being faithful to what God calls a person to do is more important than being famous.