Does what others receive bother you? If they are recognized for an achievement, do you dislike them? If they receive a special gift, are you jealous? Do you continually compare yourself to others? How do you think that impacts your life in Jesus?
We see it nearly every day. Someone receives a gift and someone else is jealous. Someone is recognized for doing a good job and people turn against them. We often compare ourselves to others. Doing so is bad juju for us.
Jesus explicitly tells Peter not to worry about what will happen to John. Jesus simply tells Peter to follow Him. We are not to worry about what others receive, whether recognition or gifts. We are better off to simply be appreciative of what we receive.
Not only that, but Jesus calls us to partner with Him. In fact, just before Peter asks about John, Jesus had just told Peter to feed His lambs and intimated the kind of death Peter would face. Jesus was giving Peter a mission to carry out for Him. Peter had his feelings hurt because Jesus had asked him three times if he loved Him.
Peter feels like Jesus is calling him out when Jesus is actually giving him the most important mission for the kingdom. It was not Peter’s right to know what Jesus had planned for John. Jesus was calling him into partnership, and he needed to answer affirmatively.
Jesus also calls us into partnership. We are not to worry about what someone else is called to. We are to carry out the mission Jesus has given us. The sooner we have this mindset, the better.
I pray we all choose to partner with Jesus. I pray we stop worrying about others. I pray each one of us will take on the mission Jesus has set before us to further His kingdom here on earth. Be a partner with Jesus. Listen to Him. Carry out His mission. Have the same mind as Jesus.
John 21:22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!”
Marty Pressey 