What's It to You

John 21:20-22
20 Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind. 21 When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, "Master, what's going to happen to him?" 22 Jesus said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you? You - follow me." - The Message

The other morning I read a bit of news on the Internet that just wowed me. It was real news and not some glorified, electrified, digitalized email, but straight from the AP News Service. The story told about Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and I believe thirty-eight other billionaires have each agreed to donate half of their wealth to charity. The amount could equal somewhare in the neighborhood of $600 billion dollars! Yep, you read that right, 600 billion. That is pretty close to the amount that our country had to borrow from China a couple of years ago. What drove them to this unprecedented act of kindness and charity? I don;t know, but I am happy with their action. The problem is, as I read the story with amazement, I was quickly brought back down to the level of my fellow human beings in the comment threads that followed. Many, all so many, rather than praising these folks were bashing them for not giving more! They were making comments like they don't need that much money and that they should give until they have less than a thousand dollars in the bank like most people. What?? These forty or so people are giving away, on their own free will, this much more and people are criticizing them for not giving more? I began to burn with disgust. I started thinking, "How much do you give to charity? What percentage? Give me the number. Most Americans give somewhere around 2% (including to the church) and you complaining about someone who isn't giving more than 50%!" I couldn't understand that mentality. I worry about my fellow people. What's up with them?

This isn't a new problem, not the problem with the people who want to criticize Gates and Buffet. And it's not a new problem with my attitude. We always think we know better or are better. We become jealous when someone else trumps us and looks better, or voices their opinion and seems more pious. Ouch, that hurts.

Jesus saw this for himself. Peter was their with the resurrected Lord when he saw John standing off in the distance. Knowing Jesus' great affection for John, Peter ask about what would happen with him. Was it that he was jealous of John or really concerned about his well-being? We aren't clear about that, but Jesus saw that it was a stumbling block for Peter and said, "What's it to you? Your priority is for YOU to follow me."

I think that is something we should all think about and incorporate into our daily lives. Rather than complain about how others are living, let's get our own lives right first. Then, I bet, we wouldn't complain so much about others, because we would be loving them in spite of the shortfalls, just as Jesus loves you and me.

Godspeed,
Tim