March 14, 1999	John 21:15
Feeding the Flock
"Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonah, 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.'" In this verse, Jesus restored Peter's love toward him, then Jesus said to Peter "Feed my lambs." What Jesus means by "Feed my lambs" is to supply spiritual nourishment for others. After studying this verse and the next several verses in the 21st chapter of John, I better understand that we must not only care for and look after our brothers and sisters in the Lord, but we must also feed them with spiritual food. In order to provide that spiritual nourishment, we must love the Lord by believing in him, receiving him, and having faith in him. Without that love of the Lord, we cannot be effective in tending to the spiritual needs of others. Everyone has different talents and aptitudes. Even the smallest, seemingly insignificant gesture made with the love of the Lord can provide spiritual food for the "flock" and bring others closer to Jesus. As we go about our every day life we should enjoy our relationship with the Lord and the spiritual nourishment provided to us by others. We must also be mindful of Jesus' charge to us as his followers to pass that love of the Lord and spiritual nourishment on to others.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me like you helped Peter to love you more, so that I might feed others with the richness of your spirit. Amen.

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