How God Corrects Us 3/3
Dependance and Restoration 3/3
Each time Peter answered Jesus, even before he came to the full realization that he had been relying on himself rather than on Jesus, the Lord told Peter to do something.
First, the Lord told Peter to feed His lambs. The word used means to graze or feed and attend to the needs of animals. The construct draws us toward understanding this as the people of God. It carries the idea of those who are weak and in need of tender care. This is the reason “lambs” has been used here rather than “sheep.”
In the second instance, the Lord told Peter to take care of His sheep. The word here means herd, tend, and lead to pasture; to shepherd or watch out for other people. This use of sheep is found in John 10:1-16, for one clear example.
Finally, the Lord directs Peter to tend the needs of His people. Here the same word for feed is used as in the first instance (verse 15) and the word for sheep is the same as in the second instance (verse 16).
When correcting and training Peter Jesus invokes his failure only obliquely. At every step in the process, Jesus reassures Peter that his role in the body has not changed.
We will find ourselves failing many times throughout our lives. Just like Peter we will be guilty of boastfully exalting ourselves, chasing acceptance, fearing for our personal wellbeing, perhaps even denying Christ. When we do, we can expect our lovely Lord Jesus to treat us in the gentle way He treated Peter.
Like Peter, we will not find His correction and training pleasant. Hebrews 12:11 points out that “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (NIV) This is part of our growth in grace and the knowledge of the Lord. It brings about spiritual maturity.
Perhaps in some ways it is harder when we find ourselves on the other side of the equation. This lesson is helpful when someone has mistreated us. Once again, observing the way Jesus restored Peter, we see an example of the way we might restore those we find caught in wrongdoing.
Rather than lashing out and before constructing walls, or cutting ties, we might first do what we can to gently restore them. We might remind them of the One who is the dynamo energizing their spirit. We might remind them that failures do not disqualify them for the work Father has prepared for them in advance. We might carefully help them to see the Love Father has for them and the righteousness He has given them.
In this as in everything, our hope is in the Lord. It is His Spirit within us that energizes us for the task. The task of personal growth, or that of helping a sister or brother out of the ditch.
