22Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” (John 21:18-24)
In verse eighteen, Jesus told Peter that he would glorify Him in his death as a martyr. It’s impossible to know the exact effect this had on Peter. No doubt, it was profound. But one thing is obvious it caused Peter to wonder what would happen to John.
One of the critical mistakes we often make is to examine what God has called us to do in the light of what others are called to do. This isn’t wise. Jesus wisely told Peter to mind his own business. What would happen to John shouldn’t have affected Peter.
Early church tradition says that John was boiled in oil but miraculously didn’t die. He was then banished to the isle of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation and eventually died a natural death. How would this knowledge have affected Peter? Would it have made him bitter? Would he have thought it unfair for him to die a martyr’s death while John escaped the same? Who knows?
Comparing ourselves with others isn’t smart (2 Cor. 10:12). Like water, we tend to seek the lowest level. Comparing ourselves with others often makes us compromise God’s best for us or feel condemned because we haven’t reached someone else’s “stature.” We don’t need those comparisons. What we need to do is just keep our eyes on the Lord and fulfill His will for our lives.
Your life shouldn’t be a race with others but a race to be more and more like Jesus every day. True happiness and a sense of fulfillment are found in focusing on what He has called you to do and doing it with all your heart.
