21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” 22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” John 21:22 (NLT)
Peter was having an intimate conversation with Jesus. He had just been restored to ministry. Jesus was addressing his denial….in a way only Jesus can do. He was leading Peter to face what he had done and address it so he could move on.
At the close of this conversation, which I imagine was a little intense, Peter look at John and says “What about him?”
Excuse me? Why in the world is he asking about John in the middle of this intentional conversation with Jesus about himself? That seems out of place doesn’t it? But think about it. Don’t we do the same thing? Do any of these quips sound familiar?
“Lord, why am I having to deal with this while she is so blessed?”
”Lord, why did he suddenly come into all that money and I am so broke?”
”Lord, why did they get the promotion I deserved?” or
”I don’t think I’ll talk about the good things happening to me because they are struggling and I don’t want them to feel bad.”
In all of these (and the 100 other ways we do this) we are forgetting one thing. We each have our own story.
My story is not going to look like anyone else’s. The things that happen in my life, no matter what they are or how they happen, are for me. When I realize this, I can turn to God and lean into the story line of my life, figuring out what he wants me to do with it.
It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing. What matters is what God is doing and how I will use my circumstances to glorify his name. God will use every circumstance in your life to grow you closer to him. He does this for everyone.
So, instead of saying “Lord, what about him/her?” we should be asking “Lord, what do you want from me?”