I am done picking on Peter today, but one last story gives us another moment of shared experience. You have probably heard about the Greek words used here in this passage and how each of them is a little different, How Jesus starts with a Greek word that implies a highly pure state of absolute love, and the final word Jesus for love is just a “friendship” type of love.  So Peter is hurt that Jesus doesn’t recognize the great love Peter feels for him. 

Well, I am not sure that is the purpose of the passage. I think the purpose of the passage is to remind us that we probably don’t love Jesus the way Jesus wants to be loved. I can illustrate it by marriage. When you marry someone, you love that person, with the greatest capacity you can love that person. I remember my wedding day. I didn’t think I could love someone more than my wife. But I have learned something over the years of marriage and family. I have learned that while I loved my wife with great intensity on our wedding day, there was still more room to grow.  I have found more reasons to love her, I have been challenged by her. My family has grown my desire to sacrifice for them. 

I think Jesus was giving Peter a little humility. There is no shame, to be honest about where you are starting. Peter always skipped the hard stuff out of passion. I think Jesus was actually encouraging Peter. There is a difference between a passionate claim to be so in love with Jesus that Peter would die with him, to “I do not know this man.” Jesus was reminding Peter that love is more than a statement, it is something that grows over time in the trenches of life. Peter may be starting as a friendly associate of Jesus, but given time, feeding the sheep, Peter will become one who will boldly die for the cause of Christ. 

For us, there isn’t any sense in brandishing all the Jesus jewelry, clothes, and bumper stickers, if you aren’t first doing what Christ has called you to do. That’s what Peter did multiple times in the Gospels. Like Peter, let’s just start where we are and commit ourselves to grow deeper in love with Jesus and to do what Jesus calls us to do.