We’ve all had those moments we wish we could take back—awkward missteps, painful failures, or betrayals we carry with us long after the moment has passed. One of my most memorable came during my early days in Haiti. I was learning Haitian Creole, and as you might guess, language slip-ups were common. I once pointed at a fellow missionary’s large office fan and, in my best Creole, accidentally referred to it not as a fan (van), but as a belly (vant). You can imagine the awkwardness that followed!
That experience sticks with me—not just because it was funny, but because it reminds me how human it is to mess up. And how important it is to be restored after we do.
In John 21, we find Peter in that place. The last time he saw Jesus before the crucifixion, Peter had denied him—not once, but three times. This, from the same Peter who had proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, who had walked on water, who had declared he would die for Jesus if needed.
Now Jesus has risen. The tomb is empty. And Peter doesn’t know where he stands.
“Do You Love Me?” — A Personal Question
When Jesus appears to the disciples on the shore, they share a breakfast of grilled fish. But the real nourishment comes in the conversation that follows.
Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” Not once. Not twice. Three times—once for each denial.
The repetition is painful. Peter is grieved. But Jesus is not rubbing salt in the wound. He’s restoring Peter’s calling. Jesus doesn’t say, “I told you so.” He doesn’t lecture. Instead, he points Peter forward: Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.
Jesus doesn’t simply forgive Peter—he commissions him.
Love That Leads to Obedience
What’s striking about this exchange is that Jesus doesn’t ask Peter, “Will you never fail me again?” He doesn’t say, “Will you prove yourself?” He says, “Do you love me?”
Because love is what drives obedience. Love is what keeps us going when ministry is hard. And make no mistake—Jesus tells Peter the road ahead will be painful. He even hints at Peter’s future martyrdom. But still, he says, Follow me.
The truth is, following Jesus means tending his flock—even when it’s messy, thankless, or heartbreaking. We serve not because the sheep are always lovable, but because we love the Shepherd.
You’re Still In
Maybe you’ve had a Peter moment. Maybe you’ve betrayed Christ—not with words, but with indifference, cowardice, comfort, or compromise. Maybe you’ve wondered whether you’re disqualified.
Hear the good news: You’re not out.
Jesus restores failures. He calls the fallen. And he doesn’t restore us to the sidelines—he restores us to the mission.
The real question is not whether you’re perfect. It’s whether you love him.
So I ask you the question Jesus asked Peter:
Do you love him?
If the answer is yes, then he says to you what he said to Peter:
Feed my sheep.
