Keep your eyes on Jesus, not people

The Bible says, “Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, ‘Lord, who will betray you?’ Peter asked Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus replied, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.’ So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?’” (vv. 20-23 NLT). When Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” he was referring to the apostle John, who enjoyed an especially close relationship with Christ. And Jesus said, “Get your eyes off John and keep them on Me. Follow Me and you can have a close relationship with Me too.” People will disappoint you, just as you will disappoint them. But Jesus will never disappoint you if you keep your eyes on Him and follow Him. Even with the best of intentions, people will give you poor advice and you will give them poor advice. But Jesus won’t. He doesn’t merely know the way, He says, “I am the way” (John 14:6 NKJV). He says, “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12 NKJV). So the word for you today is about one of the most fundamental principles in Christian living: get your eyes off people and keep them on Jesus.