The Individuality of the Call

What's that to you, Peter?

The Church is meant to be deeply communal. When we come to Christ, we bind ourselves to him — and thus to his Church. It’s messy, for sure. But it was for him, too.

Yet the individual call can look very different for each of us. As Paul reminds us, "Not all are apostles, are they?" (The whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 12 speaks to this beautifully.)

Jesus addresses this in today’s passage. After his intimate conversation with Peter about what love looks like, Peter turns and notices another disciple behind them. He becomes distracted.

Jesus’ response could seem flippant — but it need not be.

What’s that to you? You…follow me.

It’s not dismissive, it’s redirecting. Jesus is reminding Peter — and us — that our primary calling is not to manage someone else’s faithfulness, or to compare theirs to ours, but to pursue what he has called us to do. We live together, we journey together, we bear one another’s burdens — but each of us must still hear Christ’s invitation personally: You follow me.

The Church needs both — the messy, beautiful community and the particular, personal faithfulness of each disciple. One without the other falters. Together, they reveal the love of Christ.

John 21:20-25

Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. This was the one who had leaned against Jesus at the meal and asked him, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” When Peter saw this disciple, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain until I come, what difference does that make to you? You must follow me.” Therefore, the word spread among the brothers and sisters that this disciple wouldn’t die. However, Jesus didn’t say he wouldn’t die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what difference does that make to you?” This is the disciple who testifies concerning these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If all of them were recorded, I imagine the world itself wouldn’t have enough room for the scrolls that would be written.

Psalm 40:5

You, Lord my God! You’ve done so many things—your wonderful deeds and your plans for us—no one can compare with you! If I were to proclaim and talk about all of them, they would be too numerous to count!

Prayer

God,

You have called me by name. Teach me to rejoice in the journeys of others without losing sight of the path you’ve set before me. Help me to learn from my fellow believers, but keep me from losing sight of what you’d have me do. Keep me faithful in my following—steadfast, humble, and full of grace toward my fellow travelers.

Let my eyes be fixed first on Christ, and my steps steady in your Spirit.

By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.