What is that to You
Sometimes I think children tend to believe that their parents are unfair to them (whether they are or not). A classic example might be when one child is told to go to bed while their brother or sister is allowed to stay up a bit longer. Never mind that there may be a perfectly good and just reason why brother or sister has been granted the blessing of a few more minutes, the disgruntled child doesn’t understand. “Why does he get to stay up? If he gets to stay up, why can’t I?” While I believe that parents should make a loving effort to explain “why,” the fact is, no matter what the explanation is the young child still must do what he or she is told to do.
Unfair? You Still Have a Responsibility.
Sometimes I think adults can act like the little child in our illustration. Take Peter for instance: when Jesus indicated to him by what death he (Peter) would glorify God, he then told Peter, “Follow Me” (Jn. 21: 18-19). But Peter (referring to John, who was following along) said, “But Lord, what about this man?” (vv. 20-21) “Jesus said to him, ‘If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me’” (v. 22). The point was not that John didn’t have to follow Christ or that he would not die; rather, the point was “whether he does or does not, that is not your concern. What does that have to do with what I told YOU to do?”
This message is good for all of us, for each one of us has a personal responsibility to obey the Lord and to continually do what He says, regardless of what others do (or don’t do) around us. Just remember, friends, no matter if your spouse or your children or your friends fail or succeed, what is that to you? Jesus is saying to YOU, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).