There is so much about faith which culminates in action. As James the brother of Jesus said, “I will show you my faith by my works.” An alive faith is always accompanied by action (James 2:18).
Peter the follower was impetuous, passionate, and ready to act. He loved Jesus deeply, even though it was necessary for him to betray Him in order to become the shepherd of the sheep that was his destiny.
Can you imagine the heart-crushing scene after the resurrection where Peter responds to Jesus’ repeated question “do you love me?” Peter gives a great faith answer: “Lord, You know all things – You know that I love You.” And Peter never looks back. He becomes a true shepherd – after all – he learned his craft from the “great Shepherd of the sheep!” (Luke 5:10)
As you think about Peter ask yourself the question “who has shepherded me?” Another great question is “to which of Jesus’ sheep am I providing shelter?” Peter invites us to a heart of action – in the midst of our shortcomings and challenges.
“So 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.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to strengthen yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go. Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”
Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.”
– John 21:15-25
Pretty cool, is it not?!