Surely, a lot of things had happened before Peter said, ‘We have left everything to follow You!’
In verse 17 we read of a man who fell on his knees before Jesus and asked what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Finally, Jesus told him lovingly, ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me’ (:21). Peter had been just a poor fisherman when Jesus had called him, but the man from this story had great wealth and he went away sad, because this price was too high for him as yet.
The disciples were quite upset and they worried about the question who could be saved if the price was so high… But Peter saw a glimmer of hope: ‘We have left everything, we have paid the price…' I wonder how Jesus looked at Peter when He answered him. With worry? Pity? How much Peter still needed to learn, how much he still needed to receive! Peter was still lacking the glow, the fire of unconditional love and dedication to Jesus.
For, when one has come to know Jesus as the Savior and Redeemer - not just as a historical character from the Bible stories, but as the risen Lord - then one has found the greatest treasure that is to be found in life. All riches the world has to offer vanish in comparison with this, are even an obstacle in our way to experience the full communion with the Lord.
Peter could not grasp this back then and neither can we. Until the moment Jesus breathes on us as He did on Peter, and says, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ (John 20:22b).