Thought of the Day !!

After breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," Peter replied, "you know I love you." "Then feed my lambs," Jesus told him.
John 21:15 (NLT)

According to the Gospel of John this is Peter's third encounter with the Post-Resurrection Jesus. He's sitting on the shore of the Sea of Galilee after a night of fishing where the disciples have caught nothing until Jesus arrives and tells them to cast their nets on the other side. Jesus asks Peter a very important question about his love here. "Do you love me more than these?" But what is the "these" that he's talking about?

Is he pointing to the disciples asking if Peter loves him more than the other disciples do? Is he pointing in their direction asking if Peter loves him more than he loves the other disciples? Or could it be something more?

I believe that Jesus is pointing in the general direction of the boats and the nets and catch of the day. Peter knows fishing. Peter is comfortable as a fisherman. It's familiar to him. It's what he's done all his life. And Jesus is asking if Peter loves him more than the things that he knows, understands or is comfortable doing.

Peter has left this life (the life of a fisherman) once to follow Jesus. Now he's being asked if it's all worth it. If he loves Jesus more than his old life, then he will again be offered the chance to follow him.

What about us? Is there anything in our lives that might be getting higher up on our priority list than our Lord? Are there things that may be inching Jesus out of the role of what's most important in our lives? Jesus asks us the same question that he asked Peter so long ago. Do we love him more than "these"?

In the love of Christ,
greg