John 21:15-17 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
How would you react if Jesus asked you if you loved him, not once, but three times? Peter seems exasperated. But swearing and denying you know someone in order to save your own skin isn’t exactly what we think of as a sign of affection. So Jesus asked him the question.
Consider how much humility it would take to ask someone who had hurt you if they still loved you.
But Jesus’ love for Peter ran so deep that he did whatever was necessary. By asking him the question, he surfaced what was going on in Peter. The doubt and disgust with himself for failing Jesus in his darkest hour, the hypocrisy of boasting he would die with him only to deny him a few hours later, must have shocked him to his core.
Jesus threw out a lifeline to rescue Peter from a sea of self-condemnation. By giving Peter the opportunity to answer the question, he helped Peter see the truth, clouded as it might be. He did still love Jesus. Although he had failed miserably, verbalizing his love enabled Peter to see what he needed to see, “…for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
I don’t know about you, but when I feel like I’ve disappointed the Lord, I can dive right into the waters of self-incrimination. But messing up doesn’t mean we don’t love Jesus anymore. Jesus loves us as deeply as he loved Peter, and he offers us a way back. Through words. Words like I’m sorry, forgive me, I still love you. Sometimes we need to hear ourselves say them to chase away lingering doubts.
There’s never a wrong time to answer the question. To tell Jesus we love him. How about right now?