The Distraction of the External

The gospel of John ends with a strange scene.  Jesus and Peter are walking away from the breakfast fire on the beach as they share an intimate conversation and John is following along behind like some long distance eavesdropper.  Verse 20 of that last chapter says, "Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them.."   Peter's awareness of John becomes a distraction.  Instead of being focused on what Jesus is trying to say to him, he becomes caught up in John's relationship with Jesus. 

 

It is an easy thing for us to lose our focus on the inner life.  We, too, often get distracted from the moment of living focused on what Christ is seeking to do in our own heart.  The work of the inner life is easily hijacked by the external. Instead of keeping our focus on our life with Jesus, we get caught up in trying to manage someone else's spiritual life.   Jesus was trying to give Peter an assurance of forgiveness and Peter was caught up in looking over his shoulder.  Jesus was saying, "Follow me" (John 21:19, 22) just like He had in the very beginning and Peter was somewhere other than the present moment. 

We miss much of what Jesus is saying to us and much of what He is seeking to do in our lives because we lose our focus on the value of the inner life.  So many people are speaking words to us, so many things are happening around us, so many thoughts are running rampant in our head and they become major distractions for us .  Jesus may repeat Himself as He did with Peter to pull us back into the present moment with Him, but He will not demand that we forsake the external pulling for the inner probing of the Spirit.   It is our choice.  We can only look in one direction.  We can only listen to one conversation.   Jesus wanted all of Peter's attention and it is no different with each one of us.