Dear Friend,

On the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?”Peter affirms his love three times and Jesus tells him three times, “feed my sheep,” after which Jesus says, “Follow me!”

Following Jesus is first. That means everything else is second.

Peter still doesn’t appear fully to get it. He sees the Apostle John and says, "Lord, what about him?"

We are so like that!

Instead of attending to the life God has given us and the demands of followership, we look at others and wonder, “What about them?” which takes our eyes off Jesus!

Sometimes we covet their jobs or health or wealth or relationships.

           Sometimes we are critical of how they choose to follower Jesus.

Jesus replied, “Jesus said to him,‘If it is my will that he remain untilI come, what is that to you?You follow me!’” John21:22

Again, we see following Jesus is first. Everything else is second.

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faithHebrews 12:1-2

“Follow me,”says Jesus! Eyes off of others. Eyes on Jesus.

Joy to you – E. Stanley Ott

© Copyright2019 E. Stanley Ott
*Scripture from the ESV

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1. Is following Jesus your first priority in life? What are the matters that might lead you to make Jesus a lesser priority to you?
2. Think of people whose lives you have looked at and wondered more, "What about them?" then "What about me?" when it comes to what life and following Jesus will involve.
3. Take a moment to re-focus yourself. “Follow me,”says Jesus! Eyes off of others. Eyes on Jesus.