“As for you, follow me.” -John 21:22
If you’re reading this, these should be the words in your URL bar. However, they’re a lot more than that.
I spent some time today reading John 21 and thinking about the verses surrounding this one. This chapter begins with Jesus appearing to his disciples for the third time after his resurrection. They’re out fishing on the Sea of Galilee, and after filling their net with fish, Jesus calls them to shore to have breakfast with him. What happens after breakfast is a familiar story: Jesus asks Peter not once, not twice, but THREE times if Peter loves him. And Peter reaffirms his love for Jesus each time. Finally, after the third time, Jesus says, “Then feed my sheep.” He goes on to explain to Peter, “by what kind of death he would glorify God” and then tells him, “Follow me.” …Love me, serve me, die for me… come, follow me. Weird transitions, huh? And Peter hesitates too. In fact, he turns and points at John asking, “What about him, Lord?” But Jesus simply replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
This conversation between Peter and Jesus makes me think of another verse in John where Jesus says, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). So often it’s easy to compartmentalize my love for the Lord. But sometimes, just like Jesus asked Peter, I need to ask myself if I love Jesus. And if I say I do, I better be willing to follow Him. Regardless of where he takes me. Regardless of what those around me are doing.
These five words from John 21 first stood out to me a few years ago, when I was thinking about taking a year off school to “do something different.” At the time, one of my biggest fears was a year away from normal. I didn’t want normal to go on without me, because I was afraid that normal would forget me. I was okay with serving Jesus in another country.. but not until after graduation. After my friends all had to move away too. After normal wasn’t so thrilling and fun. However, as is so often the case, the Lord had something else in mind. And this verse so clearly reflected and reinforced Christ’s call to my own heart. A year off it was: a year in Peru. I left normal, my friends, and my family behind, and I followed Him. And… it was awesome. Although it was not all fun and games, “as for you, follow me” often felt more like “as for you, follow me and come have the experience of a lifetime.”
As I’ve expressed before, being back from that has been hard – a lot harder than the decision to go. Sometimes being in the United States, missing those precious Peruvian kids, just doesn’t really feel so great. I mean, in some ways I’m sure I see the orphanage with rose-colored glasses, but at the same time, it was awesome and super meaningful. Anyway, the other day, the Lord reminded me of these words. “As for you follow me.” He didn’t remind me of Peru and congratulate me for following him there. And He didn’t call me to follow Him back to Peru, or to Ireland, Ethiopia, Thailand, New Zealand, Argentina, or any of the other places I want to go. Nope, He called me to follow Him here, to be content where I’m at, to serve Him. That “I’m probably going to live in Indiana, work forty hours a week..” thing is reality. And His call has been every bit as real as His call to Peru, even though sometimes the seemingly mundane is harder to believe than the seemingly crazy.
Funny, isn’t it? When I wanted to stay in Indiana He called me to Peru, and when I want to go back to Peru, he calls me to Indiana. But I know that He knows best. And since He’s called me to Indiana, Indiana is where I need to be. Yes, sometimes I go kicking and screaming, but as for me, I’ll follow him.
