Books

 

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.  Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!  (Hebrews 13:1-2, NLT).

You have no doubt read or heard this verse before.  Probably have wondered if you have ever entertained an angel without knowing it.  As I read The Noticer by Andy Andrews, this verse came to mind although not in the normal sense.  I found myself wondering if the main character Jones was an angel sent to entertain those lives he touched.  But again that wasn’t quite right either, Jones did not entertain, but he did show hospitality, though no one seemed to be a stranger to him. 

Jones was an older man, who seems to show up in a persons life at  just the right time to save them.  The interesting thing is that he never saved them by changing their circumstances or removing them from their challenging situations.  No, Jones offered the ability to see.  Jones noticed things that most people don’t, even things that are right in front of them.  By noticing things, Jones was able to help his friends find a new perspective, which time after time changed those he encountered.

I am not sure if Jones is an angel, a grandfather, a mentor, or a best friend, but at the end of this heartwarming book, I found myself anxiously awaiting for my encounter with Jones, then I realized Jones, may in fact live in each of us.  We all have the ability to see our lives from the perspective of our choosing.  As Jones himself said, “Oh, you will make a difference…Now, what kind of difference?  That…is entirely up to you.  As for me?  I am expecting the difference you make to be a great one!”

If you are facing a challenge in your life and are looking for hope, this is a very encouraging story that will help you see things previously unnoticed and in so doing will allow you to gain a new perspective that will help you manage life’s challenges. 

Thank you Jones for helping me notice things that are right in front of me, for giving me a new perspective.