Feed My Sheep

He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."

Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

John 21:17

In the beginning of John Chapter 21, Peter, who has seen resurrected Jesus decides to go "fishing". I do a lot of thinking when fishing. Especially, when one fishes all night and catches nothing. Peter was not doing recreational fishing. He was fishing for his livelihood. He was going about the affairs of life making a living knowing the only trade he knew to put food on the table. He had witnessed the arrest and trial of his Lord. And, he fled Jerusalem in panic after denying Jesus three times in the courtyard of his trial. I would bet he could hear the cock crowing 3 times in his sleep. He had witnessed Jesus in resurrection; but, he still did not know what to do? I am certain his doubts and worries about the future consumed him. And then, in this last chapter of John 21, Jesus appears to him again along the seashore in Galilee providing him and his fellow fisherman breakfast. When Peter listens to Jesus and does what he says to do, he sees the reward. And, yet Jesus asks him 3 times "Peter, do you love me?" The sting of the interrogatories had to be devastating to Peter. And, yet, the Lord was forming the rock upon which his church would be built.

If you love me, then feed my sheep. It sounds so simple. Yet, this is the question every believer is asked by the Lord. What is it that each one of us can do to help build up the body (the church) of Christ? Jesus told us that even those who give a cup of cold water in His name would not lose their reward. Faith without works is dead. The church is not an option for a believer. We are all to be about feeding the sheep with whatever talents and abilities we have been given.