Jesus' conversation with Peter, about whether Peter loved him or not and then Jesus telling Peter what it would look like if He truly loved him. What it is he should be doing.
It is the same for us, Jesus says to us, Do you love me? and we say of course Lord, we love you. and He replies take care of my people. Our actions must match our words. We go to a service or two on Sunday or Saturday and we sing praises to Him and then we leave and what? We go about our own business. When do we tend His sheep. Now, please understand this interchange was a confirmation of Peter's role in the church. He was being established as the "rock" on which Christ will built his church.
I think of the my relationship with my husband and we tell each other we love one another but if this is not backed up with some action then we begin to wonder, to falter in our belief of that love. Each night, when we are getting ready to turn in for the night, we would get water to put on our night tables. Many nights, I will go up and my glass is already poured, I did not ask him to do it, he just did. This may be small to some but, to me it shows he was thinking about me and was preempting my needs. His actions lined up with his words for me.
There are so many needs in our world, so many hurting, so many in need of a touch, of the truth of God's love and it is our place to "tend His sheep." This is not an easy mandate, but it was not meant to be. It is our job to obey His commands and to reach those that are lost!
