Do You Love Me?

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[Resurrection Station #6 – John 21]

Do you love me?

After the fish breakfast with his disciples, Jesus turns to the impulsive Peter for some one-on-one business. “Do you love me, Peter?” he asks. “Of course! You know it!” Peter replies. “Then take care of my sheep,” the Lord responds. And . . . then they rewind and replay a couple times with some small modifications. Hmmm.

This repetitive exchange between Peter and Jesus is one I’ve pondered deeply. Of course, the teaching most of us have heard, I’m guessing, is that Jesus asks him the same question three times to be reminiscent of the three times Peter denied him. He was forgiving each denial individually. And sure. Maybe that's it.

My perspective on this conversation changed completely when somebody pointed out to me the Greek words being used for love here. The first two times Jesus asks the question, he uses the word agape. This is the deepest kind of love – completely selfless love – the kind of love God has for us. But when Peter responds, he uses the word phileo. Brotherly love – reciprocal love – friendly affection. He’s confessing love but not quite willing to admit to the grand kind of love Jesus is asking for.

Here's the poignant moment for me. The third time Jesus asks, he matches Peter love for love: “Simon, son of John, do you phileo me?” And that, I suspect, is why Peter is saddened at the third question. Not because Jesus didn’t take him at his word the first two times – but because he did, and he’s lowering his expectations. Nevertheless, Peter sticks with his original profession: “Lord, you know all things; you know that I phileo you.”

And you know, Jesus does know all things. He knows the love in Peter’s heart better than Peter himself does. I don’t know what exactly he wanted to communicate to Peter here about his love. But one thing is clear: whatever kind of love it is that Peter has, Jesus wants him to put that love into action by taking care of his sheep.

I wrote a play once about sheep. Sheep are stupid. Sheep are needy. They cannot be left to their own devices – they desperately need shepherding. I’m a sheep. You’re a sheep. All God’s chillen’ are stupid, stupid sheep. Ba-a-ah.

Which seems to call into question the wisdom of Jesus’ request. Wouldn’t this be a case of the blind leading the blind to have one stupid sheep trying to tend another? Possibly . . . if we were arrogant enough to think we were really the ones doing the tending.

My two grown daughters are officially leaving the nest in the next couple months. I’m in the process of guiding them while they find jobs, find places to live, etc. etc. I’m doing a lot of parenting here – that is, a lot of shepherding.

Yet, the other day, my youngest spouted some remarkable wisdom to me. I was sharing a worry I had about a change I perceive coming in a certain area of my life and what I will do if that happens. She listened empathetically, and then proclaimed, “But that’s not a problem for today. ‘Today has enough trouble of its own.’”

Well, dang, girl. That’s exactly right. That’s just what I needed to hear.

My girl is a wise one, but I’m aware that that particular pearl of wisdom was from God more than from her. He used her mouth to get the words to my ears, but the words were from him. And that’s not disparaging her part in this – I mean, good for her for being willing to open her mouth. But I suspect that willingness didn’t come from a conviction or obligation she feels to take care of her stupid, sheeply mother. It comes from the fact that . . .

. . . the fact that she loves me.

Tending my fellow sheep out of my own stupid sheepliness sounds intimidating. I’m not smart enough. I’m not competent enough. I don’t even agape enough. But I don’t need to. My phileo is enough to get things started. The wisdom and patience and agape all come from God anyway.

My task for this week of Eastertide: love Jesus by loving his sheep. It’s all about love, people. Lead with the love, and God takes care of the rest. Help me love your people, Lord, the way you have loved me.

[Did you miss R-Station #5? Read it here.]

[Ready for the next one? Here’s R-Station #7.]

[Wanna start from the top? Here’s #1.]

[“What’s a Resurrection Station?” you ask. Glad you did. Click here.]

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 10, 2024 at 1:48 PM

    Baaaa again! Thank you for your wisdom. ❤️❤️❤️

    ReplyDelete

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