“Love and obedience keep you close to your beloved Jesus.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 2, 2026
What is that to you? You follow Me! John 21:22
A friend recently delivered a powerful devotional at a staff retreat on Jesus’ words to Peter, when the inquisitive fisherman asked about his beloved friend John’s future. My friend Greg shared his conversation with the Lord about a significant health issue, pondering a future in which his wife might have to care for him because of a terminal illness. The sweet Holy Spirit whispered to my friend, “What is that to you?” Not a stern call-out of his concern, but a loving reminder to stay focused on love and obedience to Jesus. Greg’s story captures this passage’s heart perfectly. Jesus isn’t just correcting Peter’s curiosity; He’s providing a spiritual anchor for every soul feeling the weight of an uncertain future.
When Jesus asks Peter, “What is that to you?” and reinforces it with “You follow Me!”, He’s establishing a sacred boundary. This double whisper protects our peace from the two greatest thieves of the soul: comparison and the hypothetical future. The dialogue serves as rhythmic redirection. Peter asks about John’s future, and Jesus responds with a two-part boundary: The Release (“What is that to you?”): Jesus unties Peter’s hands from a burden he was never meant to carry. It’s the release of the “What-Ifs.” The Re-focus (“You follow Me!”): This is the anchor. Jesus says, “Another’s path is My responsibility; the Presence in your current step is your focus.”
Greg’s health experience reveals the empathy in Jesus’ question. When we ponder futures where loved ones suffer, such as a wife carrying the burden of terminal illness, our worry can feel like love. We think that by fretting over the future, we’re somehow caring for them. But the Holy Spirit’s whisper, “What is that to you?”, is a loving intervention revealing: You are not the Source. Greg’s wife isn’t ultimately dependent on Greg’s health; she’s dependent on Greg’s God. Grace is for today: God doesn’t give future grace for imagined trials. He gives present grace for current steps. Love is present tense: by worrying about who will care for her then, Greg might miss the opportunity to love her now. Love lives in the present, looking to and pointing to Jesus.
Whether it’s Peter comparing his death to John’s, or a believer comparing their health to a loved one’s concern, the sideways glance always leaks spiritual energy. The human question: “What about his path?” The divine redirect: “What is that to you?” The resulting peace: freedom from fear. The human question: “What about her future?” The divine redirect: “What is that to you?” The resulting peace: freedom from anxiety. The human question: “Why is this happening?” The divine redirect: “You follow Me.” The resulting peace: focus on love and obedience.
By accepting the question “What is that to you?”, we clear the channel. We admit that Jesus is the one who will bring perfect outcomes for our spouses, children, and health. Our only job is to stay in the Beloved’s bank account, trusting and obeying in the immediate moment. Jesus’ question is the ultimate prayerful practice. It strips away the thousand alternate realities haunting our imaginations and leaves us with only two things: A Savior and a Step. If we can answer the call to follow Him in this one hour, we’ve done all that’s required. Stop comparing. Stop projecting. Stop owning outcomes you can’t control. What is that to you? Follow Him. Today. Now. This step. That’s enough. Love and obedience keep you close to your beloved Jesus.
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Prayer
Lord, when my mind wanders into the ‘what-ifs’ of the future, whisper Your question to my heart: ‘What is that to you?’ Help me simply follow You today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Application
What and where is the Lord calling you to focus on today in love and obedience?
Related Reading
Psalm 37:7; Proverbs 4:25-26; Romans 14:4; Galatians 6:4-5
Worship Resource
Tiffany Hundson: Obey
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