When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
John 21:21-22 NIV
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”
Peter, after hearing what his future held, wanted to know what was awaiting John. And Jesus’ response to him was that it was no concern of his. Peter just needed to faithfully follow Jesus’ call, regardless of what was in store for others. This is an interesting way to close the gospel of John. It may simply be that John was wanting to clear up a misconception about his longevity. But I believe it has a very significant lesson for us, even today.
God has called each of us, as followers of Jesus, to serve him. And he has equipped us appropriately for the specific area of service we are called to. It is always tempting to want to compare ourselves, and how we serve, with others. But Jesus tells us, “Don’t be concerned about what I am doing with that person. You, follow me.” Be faithful to follow Jesus wherever he calls you.
The views expressed here are solely mine and do not necessarily reflect those of any other person, group, or organization. While I believe they reflect the teachings of the Bible, I am a fallible human and subject to misunderstanding. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions about this post in the comments section below. I am always interested in your feedback.
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