do you love me?

i have been thinking of this passage or rather the moment when Jesus approaches Peter on the beach. it’s after Peter had denied Him three times. Peter must be feeling that sense of guilt and shame and embarrassment. Peter was the head student. He was the one who was willing to get out of the boat. He was the strong one, the loud one, the one who was the ‘man of action’ – ready to do whatever was required. And yet he failed. messed up. didn’t cut it. flunked the finals.

and Jesus goes to him again. the same way the word of the Lord comes to Jonah a second time.

and Jesus has only one question really.

do you love me?

not do you have the skills sets necessary? can you assure me you will not mess up again? have you felt sorry enough for your wrong-doing? He doesn’t ask for an explanation, nor  even an apology. he only asks ‘Peter, do you love me?’

He wasn’t looking for one who was ‘together’ or one who wouldn’t hurt Him or fail Him again. He just needed to know this one thing. If Peter loved Him, then Jesus could work with that.

i have been thinking of this passage and thinking about my questions to potential team people in church. i want to know skill and competence. We teach a class where we extol the gifts and talents, and encourage them to discover their strength and to use it. but i have never asked this one question: do you love Jesus?

Jesus knew that as long as Peter loved Him, then Peter would always be in the right place to serve Him.

and i can’t help with this thinking to ask myself that same question:

rhordan, do YOU love Him?