Ever heard this one?
Ever said it yourself?
If you’re a parent you’re probably sick of hearing this. Good news is it seems to taper off with age and maturity. However, I’m not sure it ever completely vanishes from our sinful DNA.
Yesterday I informed my blog readers that there were a few more things I wanted to add to our “Divine” series before I let go completely. I know I’ll never get it all in—the Word of God is living and should I love a thousand lifetimes I’m pretty sure my studies of the Bible would still be on the surface. Nevertheless, there are a couple things just itching to be said about this great gospel. The first one was revealed in yesterday’s post. You can read it here. It’s titled, “What Matters Most.” Today I want to shift gears to “What Matters Least.”
At the end of John 21 Peter has a little, “That’s Not Fair!” moment with the Lord. And we see that Jesus has very little patience for this particular kid’s game. Here’s the text, John 21:18-23
18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”(emphasis added) 22Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23So the saying spread abroad among the brothers[a] that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
Let me draw your attention to one little phrase…
“Lord, what about this man?” Or, put another way, “But that’s not fair!”
The Lord had just showed incredible grace and mercy to Peter—and the forgiveness he so longed for, but two seconds later—after being told that he would have to learn to love because a great deal of suffering was coming his way—Peter wants to make sure his buddy, John is going to get his fair share of suffering as well!
Really?!
As the saying goes, “With friends like these, who needs enemies?” Peter is back in, reinstated, greatly loved, hugely forgiven and he celebrates this new found restoration with some good ole fashioned jealousy.
What an ugly picture. Not only that, if Peter wouldn’t have gotten past it right then and there, we likely would have never heard about him again. But Jesus rebuked him and Peter backed off—realizing once again that the only one God was going to hold him accountable for was himself.
How about you? Are you waiting to go all out for God because He seems unfair to you? Are you waiting to be obedient because it looks like others who are disobedient are sailing off into the sunset? Are you upset because of unfairness? Jesus said to Peter and also says to you and I, “…what is that to you? You follow me!”
Leave the judgment to God. Leave ‘fairness’ in His hands.
If we all got what was ‘fair,’ we’d all spend eternity in Hell (even Rob Bell – Sorry, couldn’t resist). But the grace of God provided a way out through Jesus death on the cross in your place and mine. WAAAAAAAY more than I deserve! WAAAAAAY more than fair. In fact, even the most vile sinner who truly trusts in Jesus for salvation, can receive His grace, forgiveness, and eternal life. And guess what?
That’s really not fair.
It’s GRACE.