In these three verses of John 21, Jesus told Peter to “feed my sheep” three times, and each had a specific meaning. The first time Jesus told Peter to “feed his sheep”, He was describing how lambs need continual tending. The second time Jesus told Peter to “feed my sheep” indicated that he should serve the sheep in a supervising capacity. The last time Jesus told Peter to “feed my sheep” was specifically to provide spiritual food—training.
These instructions are very precious, not only to Peter, but to all teachers. God loves His sheep, and wants their shepherds to take great care of His flock. Teachers have a serious responsibility to properly care for God’s sheep in their virtual or traditional classrooms. Jesus is the quintessential teacher, and His love for His sheep models how we are to love the sheep He loans to us for training. We are commanded to be an example of Jesus to our students by correctly following His truths. Therefore, we must know the scriptures well, so that we can accurately represent the wisdom of God.
As you carefully consider this topic, please answer the following questions.
- Why do you think that God’s intention of stating three times to “feed my sheep” shows the importance of proper teaching?
- Can you think of an example for each specific meaning of the instruction “feed my sheep”?
- How will you emulate Jesus’ love for your students?
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