Do You Love Me?

We are finally in what I think is the good part of the Galatians study: the fruit of the Spirit! For me, tomorrow should be the day I study on patience. However, I am still stuck on studying love. I started the study on just breaking down the different translations of the word love in Greek (you know: agape, eros, phileo...) and was getting into a nice rhythm. Then, one of my study bibles took me to John 21:15-17:

15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep."

At first, I sat there and said, "Okay, what is the significance here?" I mean, I have read this verse before and all I could get out of it was that we are to love Christ, and one of the ways we do that is by tending for his sheep. But then the commentary from my Life Application Study Bible helped me to see beyond just the words on the page!

"Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. The first time Jesus said 'Do you love (Greek agape: volitional, self-sacrificial love) me more than these?' The second time, Jesus focused on Peter alone and still used the word translated into Greek, agape. The third time, Jesus used the word translated into Greek, phileo (signifying affection, affinity, or brotherly love) and asked, in effect, 'Are you even my friend?' Each time Peter responsed with the word translated into Greek as phileo. Jesus doesn't settle for quick, superficial answers. He has a way of getting to the heart of the matter. Peter had to face his true feelings and motives when Jesus confronted him. How would you respond if Jesus asked you, 'Do you love me? Do you really love me? Are you even my friend?'"

Wow. Do I really love Jesus? And not just with phileo love, but with agape love. If I were to stand before Jesus the way Peter stood before Him, would we have the same dialogue? It's easy to say, "Of course I love Jesus; I'm a Christian!" But do my heart and life show it? Is my love for Christ selfless? Sacrificial? Or do I expect something in return? Or am I in love with His hand rather than just Him? Am I in love with His blessings? Am I in love with my reputation for doing good deeds? Do I love Him for what I feel He can do for me, or do I love Him for what He has done for me on the cross?

And this is why I am currently stuck. Not stuck in the bad sense, but stuck in the sense that I feel I need to sit in this spot, in this fruit of the Spirit, for the moment. I need to really search my heart. I know I love Jesus. But I want to continue to explore what He says loving Him looks like. It's deeper than just a feeling; it's an action and a commitment that puts Him above all else.

For those of ya'll doing this study with me, how are ya'll doing? Are you "stuck" anywhere?