“..Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? ….Feed my lambs.”  Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me? ….Take care of My sheep.”  The third time He said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, You know all things; you know that I love You.” Jesus said, “Feed My sheep.” – John 21:15-17, NIV

One of most the difficult questions for me to answer is when a loved one asks me if I love them.

More often than not, I am tempted to ask “Why?” rather than simply replying with an emphatic ‘Yes!’

I mean, what would be your response if your father asked you if you love him?                                                  

It could easily be a trap question – intended to elicit a certain response that may be used against you.

In such a scenario, we naturally tend to ask for clarification of the intent of the question or to seek additional information to help us navigate the situation more effectively.

Our meditation today captures the conversation between Peter and his resurrected Master. 

Mark you, Peter had abandoned his Master at a time when He needed him most and even gone ahead to publicly deny Him, not once but three times, including before a simple house girl who had suggested that she had ever seen him with Jesus.

Now, Peter, along with a group of six disciples including James and John, is face-to-face with Jesus again after His resurrection.

“Peter, do you love Me more than these other disciples including John?” He asks.

This question was repeated three times, which the Bible says, “hurt” Peter deeply.

“Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You,” Peter replied.

Now, just imagine yourself in Peter’s shoes; the Lord Jesus looking deep into your eyes and asking that question three times as your peers look on.

Of course Jesus was not asking for evidence of Peter’s love for Him; instead, He was asking Him to show or prove that love by feeding His lambs and taking care of His sheep after His departure.

The only way you are going to prove your love for Christ is by feeding others with the Word of God and really serving them to maturity in Christ.

The Greek words used here are poimaino and bosko, which mean to ‘to act as a shepherd’ (from poimen – shepherd) and ‘to feed,’ respectively.

Peter was going to prove his love for the Lord by being a loving shepherd who offers spiritual nourishment and care for the Lord’s lambs and sheep.

Ordinarily, tending sheep consists of feeding them, instilling discipline in them, protecting and keeping them safe, among others.

Clearly, what Jesus is saying is that there is a correlation between love for God and serving others. “Simon, if you really love Me, then feed My sheep.”

If Peter indeed loved the Lord “with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength and with all his mind” (Luke 10:27), he was going to prove it by caring for Christ’s followers – His lambs and sheep (both children and adults).

This interaction shows how close caring for the spiritual well-being of the Christian community is to the heart of Christ.

So, do you really love the Lord with all your heart, soul,  strength and mind? The only way you are going to prove it is by feeding others with the Word of God and really serving them to maturity in Christ.

You mean everyone must be a pastor? Not necessarily. While everyone cannot be a pastor, everyone has the ability to share what he/she knows with someone else including children and grandchildren.

It means ‘discipling’ and raising other Christians to know what you know and be like you. 

That’s what we call ‘ministry’ and anyone can do it wherever he/she is –  at the workplace, at school or in the community.

Do you really love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength and mind? Please don’t explain; just show it with a child you’re raising in the fear of the Lord and a person you’re ‘discipling’ into the image of Jesus Christ.