What is that to you?

“If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”

-John 21:24

(Katie) Everyone needs a sounding board. A safe person to whom we can confess and process our internal junk to for the purpose of gaining clarity. Someone that we trust to lovingly speak the hard truth that we need to hear if necessary. For me, these people are few and far between. However, I am grateful that my mom is one of those people in my life. My mom has mastered the art of discernment, knowing when I need her simply to listen or ask a deep question to guide me towards the heart of the matter. She can sense when I’m struggling with self-doubt and need affirmation that how I’m feeling isn’t crazy. And, I trust that she will always tell me the truth, no matter what, even if it is hard to hear. But, she is faithful to walk beside me through it. I went home this past weekend, in my typical overanalyzing form, and obviously desperately needed to process. I can be quite the piece of work and therefore, my first round of verbal processing is very unedited and laced with my emotions and I can spend a lot of time analyzing the motives behind other people’s actions.

In John 21, Peter’s relationship with Jesus is restored. Immediately after talking to Jesus about his future, Peter starts worrying about John’s future. Whereas Peter denied Christ three times, John faithfully stood by Jesus during the crucifixion. Peter is obviously insecure that perhaps John will receive preferential treatment for his faithfulness and so he asks Jesus about John’s future. While Peter tries to mask his own insecurity in the form of concern, Jesus sees through it and answers his question by saying: What is it you? Follow me. 

In the midst of my own verbal processing and frustration, my mom encouraged me to stop being preoccupied with them and to instead turn my focus to God.

When we are tempted to compare ourselves to another person, we must heed the words of Jesus’: What is it to you?

If someone makes a decision that I disagree with or sins against me, what is it me? God knows that I’m a sinner desperately in need of grace and I’ve gotten way off track in my own attempts to follow him.

If God blesses someone with more success than me, what is it to me? I’ve got my own race to run and abilities to account for.

My mom helped me to see that I can get so focused on judging the motives of others, that it prevents me from following Jesus.

So, next time you find yourself frustrated or comparing yourself to another person, what is it to you? Follow Jesus.