Follow Me: Focusing on Christ Instead of Others

It  was another request. Another need that had to be met. My Martha spirit smiled and said, “sure”, while my heart inwardly sank a little bit. But it was fine – I could make it work. After all – I WAS here to serve. I jumped into the new task while juggling my other responsibilities. But soon, my eyes strayed from my tasks to those who appeared to be sitting on the sidelines. Wait. Why weren’t they being asked?

Soon that passing glance became an outright, intense, searching stare. Why weren’t they doing all of this, too?

Maybe you are the teacher who always stays late while the teacher next door is out by 3:15.

Maybe you are the teacher who is on several committees while other teachers are never asked.

Perhaps you pour yourself into your students all week long only to be found diligently serving during the Sunday services every weekend, while other church members never sign up for the nursery or junior church rotation.

Or maybe you feel like you are working as hard as you can, but you aren’t seeing results. Your eyes enviously go to that successful teacher or friend, and you kind of wish that God would give you the same success.

Teachers typically have servants’ hearts, but if I can be honest, sometimes my eyes can go from serving to wondering why others aren’t serving as much as I am. Do they not see the needs? Does no one think to ask them to help instead of me?

And, soon, instead of my  service being a joyful ministry for God & others, it becomes a heavy burden. A burden that only grows as the weight of resentment is added to it. My burden seems so much greater than theirs – why aren’t they sharing the burden?  

While there are a whole slew of issues we could discuss – the importance of saying no, facing our own Martha spirit, etc. The Lord recently convicted me of my need to get my eyes off of others & onto the job that He has given me. Certain seasons are busier than others, and in those seasons, I can choose to serve God joyfully or resentfully compare my busyness to that of others.

God brought to mind the story of Peter when he first met Christ after the resurrection in John 21. Christ is on the shore while the disciples are fishing. Christ gives them a miraculous catch of fish, and they realize that it is Him standing there on the shore. Peter literally throws himself into the water to try to make it to Jesus as fast as he could. I can only imagine the desperation of Peter – he had denied Christ three times before Christ was crucified.  He never got to say sorry. Now, Christ is risen from the dead & standing right there on shore, cooking them breakfast!

Christ tells the disciples to bring some of fish they had caught – good old Peter, as usual, goes all out – dragging 153 fish to shore…I guess he was pretty hungry! But as I read the verse, there was a detail I had missed before – apparently (but not surprisingly!), this net was pretty heavy with all of those fish. But as Peter drags it in, John specifically mentions that the net didn’t break.

“So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.” 

John 21:11

Now I don’t know why those details were included – the number of fish and the fact that the net didn’t break. But when I read it, I see Peter carrying a very heavy burden..and God helping him to sustain that burden by not allowing that net to break apart.

In verses 15-19, Jesus & Peter have a discussion. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Three times, Peter answers, “yes”. Then Christ gives him some important & probably overwhelming tasks. He asks Peter to feed & shepherd his people. He then tells Peter that he is going to face a difficult death that would result in the glory of God.  In following Christ, Peter is going to bear a burden much greater than a net full of fish…but God is going to sustain Him.

Phew. I can only imagine how heavy that must have been to take in. Aaaanndd, yet, Peter immediately turns and looks at John. And He wants to know what God’s plan is for Him. Is he going to die, too?

I don’t know Peter’s motivation in asking this question. I can’t get in his thoughts, but I can’t help wondering if he was like me.  Is John going to suffer, too? Do you have a hard & heavy burden for him, too? Are you going to ask him to do as much for you as I am going to do?

And I love Jesus’ answer.

Jesus said unto him, “if it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

John 21:22

What is that to you? You follow me!

Jesus lovingly but pointedly redirects Peter’s focus. Don’t worry about him and what I have for him. You follow me!

And He says the same to me as he observes my wandering eyes and heart. Stop looking around at others – both their burdens & their successes.  Rachel, follow ME! Your burdens may be great, but my strength is greater. Stop comparing & keep your eyes fixed on me. Trust that I have given you everything you need to serve me.

My restless soul would rather look at others & what God has called them to do…but true peace and joy only comes from keeping my gaze steadfastly on my Master.

You keep him in perfect peace  whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever,  for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:3-4

When I am comparing God’s plan for me to His plans for others, I am going to struggle with pride and resentment. But when I look to Christ, acknowledge His plan for me, and trust that He will sustain me in what He has called me to do…other people quickly fade into the background.

It’s not a competition. I am not a martyr serving alone. Christ has lovingly scripted out a plan for me – my job is to follow Him, and trust that He will carry me every step of the way. His plan for others is none of my concern – it shouldn’t have an effect on my service for Him!

When your eyes start to wander from the task God has given you, when you are putting in the long hours seemingly alone, when you are asked yet again to serve instead of others,  when you struggle with not seeing success, let Christ’s words to Peter echo in your own heart.

What is that to you? You follow me!