John 21:15-19
After breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others?”
“Yes,” Peter replied, “you know I am your friend.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon, son of John, do you really love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I am your friend.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
Once more he asked him, “Simon, son of John, are you even my friend?”
Peter was grieved at the way Jesus asked the question this third time. “Lord, you know my heart; you know I am,” he said.
Jesus said, “Then feed my little sheep. When you were young, you were able to do as you liked and go wherever you wanted to; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and others will direct you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know what kind of death he would die to glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I did not grow up in a “touchy-feely” family. We rarely said “I love you” to each other. My mother declared repeatedly, “Love is an action, not a feeling.” And while later in life, she did become more of a “hugger” and verbally expressed her love more often, she would defend the position that “I show my love every day in countless gestures.” (She would also have probably said, “I don’t have time to stop and give hugs…I have things to do!”) My dad was a shade more affectionate than my mother, but it almost as if the words “I love you” stuck in his throat and could not be released.
We knew our parents and grandparents loved us because they showed us in countless ways. But I have to say, as they aged and became more verbal in their expressions of affection, I was not mad about it! I believe that it is important for us to both show and speak of our love for others. But this must always be genuine – and generally done in tandem. You can tell your spouse you love him/her, but if you consistently put your own needs ahead of his/hers, the actions tell the tale. You can tell your children every day that you “love them to the moon and back,” but if you never have time to so much as sit and share a conversation and a candy bar with them, they probably won’t believe you.
You can declare until you are blue in the face that you love “all people,” but if you laugh at racist jokes, share gossip, glare at the person in the checkout line with purple hair and multiple piercings, or indicate in any way that members of the LGBTQ community – or members of another ethnic group or religious faith – are not fully equal and welcome in your homes, churches and communities, your words are just that – hollow speech that is virtually meaningless.
Just this week, I read about government officials who showed up to a homeless camp in Little Rock, Arkansas, wearing dress clothes. The person posting this account noted…“When you show up in cufflinks trying to spend hours and days means-testing the destitute, of course they won’t respond to you in the weird kiss-your-feet manner you desire.” If you claim to love Jesus, but then you speak and act in a manner that belies His commands, you just as well save your breath.
Jesus was incredibly clear…“Feed my sheep.” This is why He asked this question, “Do you love me?” of Peter so many times. Jesus didn’t want to simply hear Peter say he loved Him – Jesus wanted to see this love in action. (And Jesus knew that Peter had publicly denied even knowing Him three times to save his own hide!) A lot of people know who we truly are because of what we have shown them already. So, when we say, “I love you,” or “I love XYZ,” they are not convinced. Our words and actions must match! Jesus calls us to love one another. He also calls us to “Feed My sheep!” It’s time for us to do both! Alleluia!
©2024 Debbie Robus
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