Feed My Sheep And Follow Me

Feed My Sheep And Follow Me

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. The truth is, 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.” –John 21:17-19

Jesus told Peter something most of us want to know and at the same time don’t want to know—how he would die. Jesus had just finished questioning him about whether or not Peter genuinely loved him. Then, after instructing Peter on how that love should be expressed, Jesus revealed where a life of fishing for men and shepherding the flock of God would lead—to a cross.

Is that really where a life of loving obedience should lead? Somehow it doesn’t seem to square with our modern sensibilities, does it?

Jesus had certainly been calling Peter to a life of loving obedience, or rather, a life of obediently serving others out of love for Christ. Three times he told Peter that talk of loving God is cheap. Real love for God is expressed by feeding lambs with the nourishment of God’s Word—taking care of sheep who are vulnerable to attack and dressing their wounds. The same is true today. Real love for God is expressed by caring for the flock of God, a humbling, tiring job because people in God’s flock are often like stupid, smelly sheep. We are needy and dependent.

The Good Shepherd has shown us how to become his undershepherds. We are to follow the example he gave us as he said, “I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15). Caring for his beloved flock is his most desired expression of our love for him. It is what we do as we follow him. Just as it did for Peter, a life like this may take us where we do not want to go. We may be called to lay down our leisure time, our lifestyle, or like Peter, our very lives so we can feed his sheep and follow him.

Great Shepherd, you have done more than tell me what a Good Shepherd does, you have shown me by laying down your life. But honestly, I resist the demands that feeding your sheep requires. It is inconvenient and uncomfortable. Give me a heart to follow you this way, to love you this way.

DIGGING DEEPER