Feed the Need

UV 2202/10000 Feed the Need
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

John 21 v 15

Jesus seemed to encourage a competitive love for Him among the apostles by asking Peter, “ Do you love me more than these?” John in His gospel stated that he was the disciple who was closest or most beloved of Jesus. Two other disciples enquired of Him through their mother who would be seated on his right hand in the kingdom of heaven. In this uni-verse, Jesus asked his chief disciple, Peter if he loved Him. As the sign of his love, Jesus asked him only to do one thing – to feed His lambs. Peter was entrusted the task to feed those who believed in Him but their faith was tender like the young of sheep. The manger leader o r manager ‘s primary task is caring for the young. It was this attitude of caring for the disciples that caused the resurrected Jesus to appear for the third time to the disciples. They had gone back to their prior profession – fishing. The night had seen them catch nothing. We too when we catch nothing or little for the efforts we invest in some venture, should remember that at that moment the Lord is nearby, within hearing distance, watching us, calling to us as He did on that day with the disciples. He allows us some times to catch nothing in order to get our attention. He then feeds us with His word as He did with the disciples. He prepares us for a great catch, a great harvest and amazing success. Jesus guided them to such a great catch by asking them to cast the net on the right side. It was not as if the fish were all lingering only on the right side and that Jesus only changed the direction of their fishing. It was a supernatural result. The manger leader or manager by virtue of his faith is not daunted or discouraged by the limitation of resources available for his task. He believes in the supernatural wisdom, knowledge and power of Jesus that is available to him at all times.

John was the disciple who first recognized the figure standing by the shore as that of Jesus. He recognized Him by His voice for Jesus had said, “ My sheep know my voice and will come to Me.” The manger leader or manager acts as an amplifier or loud speaker for the voice of Jesus to reach near and distant shores. Peter in his enthusiasm jumped into the water stark naked, having left his clothes in the boat. He was then asked thrice whether Peter loved Him? Peter acknowledged the omniscience of Jesus , that He knew all things. Nothing in his heart or mind was secret but it was all known to Jesus. The manger leader or manager knows that despite the knowledge Jesus has of his betrayals like that of Peter, his backsliding, his failures, his limited strengths and weaknesses, his fears, his inhibitions Jesus loves him. This is agape or God ‘s unconditional love demonstrated and manifested repeatedly by Jesus.

We are called to lead by feeding the need. A human being’s deepest and greatest need is the need for salvation. The second greatest need is the need for sanctification- to become perfect and mature like Jesus. The third greatest need is multiplication or replication. Jesus is the way to salvation, sanctification and multiplication. We feed people, the ones who are inclined to hear the voice of the great Shepherd Jesus to satisfy these primary needs. But before Jesus asked Peter to feed the lambs and sheep, He personally fed them with fish cooked on a coal fire. We are also called to meet or do what ever lies in our reach to satisfy the secondary needs of people – the need for physical food, clothing, shelter, security, education, jobs and so on.

Prateep V Philip