When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." (John 21.15)
Simon Peter is on the rebound. He has ridden the rollercoaster of following Jesus all the way to the bottom, denying Jesus in his time of need. He has nothing left to give, nothing to boast about. There is no way back for him except by the grace of Jesus. Is there a way to be good again?
Jesus meets him in his time of need as they sit down for breakfast on the beach. Peter is desperate for reconciliation and Jesus doesn’t disappoint him. But it’s the way that Jesus does this that interests me.
Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
It is Simon’s love of Jesus that has been tested and found wanting. The denial episode has shown him and Jesus what was really going on in his heart all along. His answer to the question is, of course, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus asks him the same question three times, once for each denial. Each affirmation of love heals the wound of previous betrayal. And the love that Simon affirms is linked to his calling. Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
And that’s the point. Simon’s only capability in his calling is his love for Jesus. His only preparation for being useful in the plans of Jesus is his relationship with the one he loves. The situation is no different today. We become useful to Jesus when we fall in love with him. It’s not about our gifting, our striving, our savvy, our training or anything else. It’s not a matter of whether we love going to church, reading our bible, teaching people about God, or anything else. It doesn’t matter whether we want to build his Kingdom by working in church, Starbucks, Costco or anyplace else.
It all means nothing unless we love.
We are only useful to Jesus if we truly love him. This is the one and only qualification Jesus asks for in Simon and it is what he asks for in each of us too.
Do you love him?
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