Jesus Speaks About John

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)  When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”  Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.  John 21:20-24

You may think that it's strange that I've included these verses in our month of Easter devotionals.  But what a lesson it is!  What a reminder!

It's possible that at this moment, Peter still didn't totally get it.  He had just had such an intimate, compelling conversation with Christ, but he just had to push it a little bit.  Maybe he's thinking - oh great, when I'm old people are gonna take me places I don't want to go?  No fair!  What about John?

Or maybe he's just curious.  Hmmm, I'm going to live till I'm old, apparently.  What about John?  He's been so good to me, especially these last few days.  What will happen to him?

I don't know that it's wrong to have these thoughts.  But Jesus sharply rebukes him, and reminds Peter a telling lesson.

It's not that it's none of his business.
It's not that John is going to have a different future.
It's that Peter is focusing on the wrong person.

Peter isn't focusing on Jesus, his risen savior.  He isn't focusing on God, whose great and merciful plan of redemption had been accomplished.  He isn't focusing on the Spirit, even having just receiving Him in recent days.

He's taking his focus - just for a moment - off God and on man.  He's putting the emphasis - even if for a good reason - on earthly things instead of heavenly things.  He's living - whether it's in worry or wonderment - on a what if plane.

We can all - easily - fall into this trap.  We look around, instead of up.  We focus outward, instead of upward.  I do it, I'm sure you do it. 

That's what happens when we aren't looking at God.  We get distracted.  Now, do me a favor.  Put your hand in front of your face for just a second.  This is an illustration I've used a lot.  When my hand is stretched in front of my face - right in front of my eyes - I can't see anything else but my hand.  But the farther I pull my hand away from my face, the more of things around me I can see.

It's the same thing with God.  When I've got my nose pressed right between Jesus' shoulder blades (figuratively speaking), I can't see the world around me, and I can't focus on anything else but Him.  But the farther I get away from Him, the more the world distracts me.

Jesus' admonition to Peter isn't harsh, it's truth.  It's reality.  Don't focus on others.  Focus on Him.