“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, Feed my Lambs…Tend my sheep…Feed my sheep.” John 21:15ff

“A twofold demand was made upon him (Jesus) at all times: to love those of the household of Israel who became his enemies because they regarded him as a careless perverter of the truths of God; to love those beyond the household of Israel—the Samaritan, and even the Roman.”  (Howard Thurman. Jesus and the Disinherited (p. 90). Beacon Press. Kindle Edition.)

How many “sheep” or followers of Jesus have gone astray at some point in their lives? Too many to count. Of course, how many awkward, funny, bedraggled sheep are currently in the world? And yet we are to feed the sheep, just like Peter and the other disciples. How do we feed the sheep? How does Jesus feed the sheep? Jesus feeds by giving himself completely to all of humanity — he loves more deeply, he cares more completely than we could ever love or care for others. And before he left us, he told us many important things about caring for the sheep — including loving all people and serving all people. Howard Thurman wrote: “A twofold demand was made upon him (Jesus) at all times: to love those of the household of Israel who became his enemies because they regarded him as a careless perverter of the truths of God; to love those beyond the household of Israel—the Samaritan, and even the Roman.”

Jesus made no distinction between sheep and sheep. Therefore, our authentic “feeding” is something we each need to determine based on our own gifts, our own passions, and our own relationship with G-d. But we should hear the words of Jesus “Feed My Sheep” as a call to action. How will you “feed the sheep” today? What “feed” do you have for others? We all have “feed” – each person has something else to give, to feed to the flock. And that feed does not run dry when we look to the original “feeder” for sustenance.

Feed my sheep is not a suggestion and it is not a throw away comment from Jesus. It is call to action.

Pastor Dave