Jesus… said to him, “Follow me!”

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

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

– John 21:19-22

It’s so easy to look at other people, and to let them be the reason we choose to do what we do.

I go back to this Bible passage from time to time, and when I really think about Peter’s frame of mind, and then Jesus’ response, I am reminded of my own waywandering heart.

Peter has just personally experienced both the darkest and the brightest days in human history when his friend, the Galilean rabbi, after performing three years of unexplainable phenomena, dies a gruesome death in Jerusalem, only to be resurrected three days later, according to what he told to his friends would happen, all in the name of giving life and hope to humanity.

Peter, a temperamental goat in Jesus’ journey, a man who claimed undying allegiance to the one he at one point recognized as the Son of God, was still smarting about his massive fail on the day of the rabbi’s arrest and death. A fail that the teacher had told him he would do beforehand.

And because of his failures, he thought maybe God would not, could not love him anymore, or that God would not come through for him any more, or that he was not usable any more, and because of that, the ride had to be over. He was certainly on the outside now. He had reached his “Use by” date.

And Peter crept back to his old familiar life, what he figured he was good for.

Fishing.

Peter ached inside, and he also remained vulnerable days later to the weakness that had led to his denial of friendship with the rabbi.

What other people thought about him.

Because he had blown it, Peter returned to worrying more about his position with people than about his commitment to the Christ.

And I suppose that had something to do with how he saw Jesus and his call. Conditional, from a most certainly disappointed God.

Following Jesus- embracing his wisdom and his teachings, and reshaping how you lived your life to emulate Jesus’ priorities, principles, and patterns- seemed extreme and untenable to Peter, until he considered the call and realized it was the easiest and best option for his life.

Because living for himself, and living for the approval of others, didn’t bring him much pleasure and happiness.

Especially living for the approval of others.

You can’t live a life of strong faith if you live your life for the approval of others, because people will fail.

Both in and out of the church, too.

“But Jesus, what about John?”

“It doesn’t matter what he does. You know how it works. You, come on back, and just follow me.”

In time, Peter figured it out.

The walk of faith is not about people pleasing, but about faithful following of the One.

With less people pleasing, and more faithful following, in time Peter lived up to the new name Jesus had given him.

“Upon this Rock I will build my church.”