Jesus corrected Peter, and this occurrence is recorded in John 21. Peter’s reaction was very typical of the way people sometimes also act.
Trying to redirect the focus, Peter then asked Jesus about John’s fate:
“Peter, seeing him (John), said to Jesus, ‘But Lord, what about this man?’” (John 21:21).
How many times have we watched young children pull the same tactic? When trouble comes and correction is given to one child, oftentimes, the retort to parents is to try and share the blame with a brother or sister.
In reality, we all have to fight this very human tendency.
Becoming a Christian means that we have taken a place in the Family of God, and this means that we will be receiving correction from God. In Hebrews 12, verses 3 through 17, the vital importance of God’s chastening is explained. It would be to our advantage to believe what is written and to apply these words to ourselves—especially, consider verse 11:
“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Jesus answered Peter’s attempt at self-justification by saying that how He was working in John’s life was really not a matter of concern for Peter. Rather, Jesus, in a very direct manner, simply said to Peter, “‘…You follow Me’” (John 21:22).
When our correction comes, and it most certainly will, let’s also be “trained by it,” and not look for someone else to share our blame. When it is our turn to answer for our own shortcomings, let’s resolve to not start our response with words such as, “what about…?”
Jesus likewise tells us, “‘YOU FOLLOW ME!’”
