John 21:16
“He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.””
What does John 21:16 mean?
Jesus asks Peter the same question twice, and both times Peter's answer falls a little short of what Jesus is asking. When Jesus asks if Peter loves him with the deepest kind of love (the Greek word *agape*), Peter responds with a more modest affection (the word *phileo*). It's an honest answer, because Peter is being realistic about his own heart after his recent denial of Jesus. Rather than reject Peter's limited love, Jesus accepts it and gives him meaningful work to do: caring for others in God's flock. The beautiful thing here is that Jesus doesn't wait for perfect devotion before inviting Peter into ministry. He meets Peter where he actually is, affirms what love he does have, and entrusts him with real responsibility. If you've ever felt like your faith isn't strong enough or your love for God isn't quite what it should be, this moment shows that Jesus can work with honest hearts, even the hesitant ones.