“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 21:17 NIV
When we understand what Jesus has done for us – I mean really understand – when we think about the pain he suffered to save us, our natural reaction is to love Him and want to please Him. I can remember thinking about how I might do something really important for God. Maybe I would go to a country in another part of the world and share the gospel. I prayed and prayed for direction, and this is the verse God brought to my mind. John 21:17b “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”
Peter was ashamed that he had denied Jesus after Jesus’ arrest. Jesus knew the plans he had for Peter; to build His church and share His love with so many. What did he tell him? “Feed my sheep.”
Do you want to show God how much you love him? Give him all you have? His ask is simple: Feed my sheep. Who are these sheep? God’s children. Psalm 100:3 tells us – “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Simple – care for God’s children as a shepherd cares for his sheep. Love them as you love yourself and love yourself as God loves you.
In Matthew 22 (NIV), Jesus explained.
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Simple, but not always easy. We, like Peter, want to please God but, in our humanity, often fall short. Love our neighbour? Ok, but not the one who parties until dawn and keeps us awake, and surely not the one with the drug problem or the lady at church who said something hurtful to us, and certainly not the one who just cut us off in traffic and nearly caused an accident. How can I do that?
Well, remember, loving God comes first. We need to be plugged into His love if we want to show it to others. We need Jesus’ help daily to let us see those He brings into our lives as He sees them. We need to really listen and ask Him for ears to hear them as He hears them. And we need His direction on how to love and ‘feed’ them.
Those of us with children know that giving them our time and attention is critical for them to ‘feel’ our love. A little one will literally hold our face in their little hands to ensure they have our full attention. I believe God wants us to love those around us as Jesus loved us and to express that by spending time showing that love in a tangible way. It is a task we can do only through His spirit in us. But once we are ready to do that, He will give us all the resources we need to accomplish it.
When, through God’s spirit in us, we can see and understand a real need and tangibly meet it, when we can give others the love and acceptance God has given us, it is something that will bring the recipients to ask us – how can you do this? Why do you do this? Why do you care? How can you forgive me for what I did to you? Then we are positioned to fulfill our commission in this life to share the amazing, wonderful news of what God has done for them and us.
So how do we feed God’s sheep? Well, sometimes, we literally feed them. Invite your neighbour for a meal or just a coffee. Those who know me know I LOVE Alpha, and one of the key elements of this ministry is eating together. It is an activity that builds relationships. Sometimes God positions us to meet a physical or financial need. Sometimes He just asks us to stop, sit down, and really listen. Always He asks us to forgive. Yes ALWAYS! And always, He gives us the ability to do what He prompts us to do because, after all, they are His sheep. He wants them cared for.
So God did not ask me to do many great things for him. Just to feed his sheep. What a wonderful thing; you and I get to love His children! When we do, we learn more about Him and how much He loves them and us. We also get to partner with Holy Spirit to see people suddenly realize for themselves just how much Jesus loves them. What a privilege. Thank you, Jesus. You teach us to love, and You let us watch Your love at work. It is enough. It is everything.
Prayer
Father, we thank you for loving us so much that You sent Your son Jesus to die in our place. Thank you for the love You show us daily. And thank you for showing us through Peter what You really want from each of us – to feed your sheep. Thank you that each of us will do that in a unique way and be given all we need to accomplish it. Show me today who You want me to lavish Your love on. Help me to see them. Hear them and love them as You do. Teach me to rejoice as You do as they begin to understand that You really love them. Give me the opportunity to rejoice with all of heaven when they surrender to You and choose to follow You. Thank you that You love me and will help me to love others. Oh, and thank you that I am one of Your sheep, and You feed me through others’ faithfulness to Your command to feed my sheep.
In Jesus’ precious name, AMEN.
