What about him?

This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” 
Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”   – John 21.19-22

The two words are so simple on the surface. After restoring Peter to fellowship and service Jesus told him the same thing He first told him – ‘follow Me.’

But Peter still didn’t really get it. When he saw John he said ‘what about him?’

Jesus replied ‘don’t worry about him. What is it to you? You follow Me.’

Peter still was a flawed human being. He had just been re-established as a flower of Christ, but the first thing he does is to be more concerned about somebody else and what they are going to have to do or not do. Peter was afraid that he might be called on to do more than John was. If John didn’t have to do it why should He.

But Jesus was unrelenting. He repeats the words ‘follow me.’

Sure, we need to care about others and their spiritual walk. We need to lovingly admonish and challenge and edify each other. That is part of what the church is all about.

At the end of the day though the one thing we can and should focus on is whether or not we are following Jesus. I am the only one I can sort out. If the whole world stopped following Jesus that would be no excuse for me to stop. If I am following Him alone at work or at school or even in my family He still wants me to follow Him.

As I start my day today my focus should be on whether or not I will follow Jesus. We sing ‘I have decided to follow Jesus.’ Do our lives match up with the words of that song?