ON THE VANGUARD

I LOVE JESUS
“A third time [Jesus] said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ Peter said, ‘Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!’
He said to him, ‘Take care of my sheep.’”
John 21:17

I’ve been doing a lot of walking lately in order to meet my newly set challenge of miles. To keep myself occupied as the miles pass by, I find myself doing a variety of different things. Most mornings I pray, or at least keep in a prayerful attitude, listening for whatever God may prompt. But other mornings my mind wanders. For instance, one day I kept a mental tally of the different state license plates I found, with Florida coming in second only to Tennessee. Another morning I tried to name the different flower species seen. This morning, however, I found myself reading bumper stickers on the cars I passed by. It was in doing this that I noticed one reading simply, “I love Jesus.” Right away I thought, they must Christians. But as I took a few more steps away from the vehicle, I had another thought. Do they really love Him?
I know what you’re thinking; how dare I judge these people I do not know. You would be right to scold me. I do not know them from any other family, do not know their hearts or lifestyle, and do not know their personal beliefs. Again, you would be right. Except that, in thinking this thought the they refers to all of us. We can easily say, “I love Jesus,” but it can so easily become lip service or routine. The question is, do we really?
I am drawn to the story of Jesus questioning Peter. Before His death on the cross, Jesus foretold that the disciples would be dispersed. Peter spoke up and said he would never forsake Christ. The reply he heard was that before the rooster crowed to sound the morning, Peter indeed would recant knowing Christ. Now, with this foretelling a reality, Peter was being questioned by the resurrected Lord. “Peter, do you love me?” When reading this passage in the NIV, the phrase, “Do you love me?” is asked three times. But let us look at this passage in the Complete Jewish Bible. On the first instance, Yeshua asks, “Do you love me more than these?” Peter’s reply is, “Yes Lord, you know I’m Your friend.” On the second question, Yeshua asks, “Do you love me?” Again Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, You know I’m Your friend.” On the final questioning, Yeshua questions, “Are you my friend?” Peter, knowing Yeshua knows all, says again that He is Yeshua’s friend.
The bumper sticker reading “I love Jesus” may not be false, but it deserves a deeper look. Jesus questions us and our love for Him. Do you love Me more than these? Can we answer this with a yes, knowing that we are quick to put many things before Him? Hobbies, people, interests, education, the list can go on and on. Idols, that’s what they are, and that is what we are showing is more important. Do you love Me? So easily, without even thinking we say yes. But doesn’t He also say that loving Him involves obeying Him? Are you My friend? We sing that song in church that says “I am a friend of God…” but in honesty we treat our physical friends better than we treat Him.
The bumper sticker may indeed read, “I love Jesus,” but the question that follows the statement is do we really?