Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray You?”
Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow Me.”
So the rumour spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
John 21:20-23
In the light of the prediction of the kind of death he would die Peter asks Jesus about John’s death. What about him Lord? What will happen to him? If this is to happen to me, what will happen to him? Peter is turning it into a competition. Isn’t that what most of us do. When we look at blessings or what we perceive to be curses we immediately look at what is happening to others. That is what the workers in the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16) did. It is a normal human response. Look at the number of times the disciples trip over themselves in their efforts to be the one most favoured.
Jesus effectively says to Peter, don’t worry about him, just follow me. Worry about your own discipleship, don’t be looking to your brother. Don’t compare yourself to others; be concerned for your own progress in the Lord.
How do you cope when another is blessed more than you when they are doing the same thing?
Can you stand someone else being blessed more than you? or you suffering more than a brother in the Lord?
Then what happens when others look on and hear of the blessing or the comparison. The rumours start. The perspective had changed from what was intended and quickly distorted to fit the perceptions of others.
Most people’s opinion of a good sermon is one that goes right over their head and hits their neighbour right between the eyes!
Bob Gass
Get the facts first. You can distort them later.
Anon
Simple truth: A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.
Sidney Mohede