Lord, What About Him?

It had been a hard month on Peter. 

It all started that Thursday afternoon more than three weeks ago when Jesus commented that Peter would deny that he knew Him. 

Deny Jesus!? 

Peter would die first! Peter had boasted, “I will never desert you no matter what the others do!” (Mark 14:29). That boast had been one of the silliest things that Peter had ever said. Before dawn the next morning Peter was claiming, “I don't know this man you're talking about” (Mark 14:71). Then Jesus died before Peter could even say, “I’m sorry.”

You wouldn’t think it could get much worse, but it did. Jesus rose from the dead! (No, that’s not the bad part; that was great news!) On the day He rose from the dead Jesus made several visits. He visited one woman at the tomb, and several more on the read leading to Jerusalem. That afternoon Jesus dropped in on Peter and they had a long quiet talk. The Bible tells us nothing of that meeting except that it happened, so we don’t know what was said. All we can do is guess that Peter had his chance to apologize and that Jesus forgave Peter.

Jesus may have forgiven Peter, but Peter had not forgiven Peter. He still remembered that silly boast and was resolved never to commit himself like that again. Peter and the other disciples had made an appointment to meet with Jesus on a mountain in Galilee. While waiting for the time to arrive, Peter decided to run and hide from Jesus. He was probably too embarrassed to face to former Teacher and Friend. “I’m going fishing,” he said. Some of the others went along.

After a long night of catching nothing, the guys rowed back to shore only to find Jesus cooking breakfast for them. After breakfast Peter and Jesus went for a walk and had a long conversation. Jesus kept asking Peter if he loved Him, and Peter kept giving non-committal answers. He still remembered that last boast. Even though Peter would not commit himself, Jesus kept telling him to feed His sheep. Jesus was putting Peter in charge of that new organization called the church. All those questions put Peter on the defensive and all the new responsibility made Peter nervous.

Suddenly, Peter had the feeling of being followed. He spun on his heel and almost knocked John over. John was always in the way! Every time Peter had time to be with Jesus, John was there. Every time Peter came up with a dumb answer, there was John with the right one. Now he was having this important talk with Jesus and there was big-ears right behind him. Peter whirled to Jesus, pointed at John and asked, “Lord, what about him?” (John 21:21).

Jesus never answered that question; He sidestepped it. “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:22). Jesus never answers that “what about him” question. He will not tell me what you should do; He just tells me what I should do.

Are you jealous of some Christian who always seems to get the jobs you wish you had? Someone who stands when you seem to fall? Lord, what about him? That’s none of your business.

You follow Jesus.