Little Jesus

 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”  John 21:15

I came across a short FB video by a fellow named Granger Smith. He told of a recent experience where a friendly man came up to him and shook his hand. As the man did so, he felt something small and plastic that the gentleman had put in his hand as they shook. He looked to see what it was, and it was a tiny figurine of Jesus. The man smiled at him and said, "Everybody needs a little Jesus."

Our first reaction to this is we likely think this was a good thing, and to a degree it is, but Smith made a telling and often widely overlooked point. It is not a little bit of Jesus that we need. We need all of Him. All of who He is, and all that He has spoken. And He demands all of us. Not a little of us, but all.

Think and dwell on this. How true is it that in so many parts of our lives, we only desire a "little" of Him. A little of His Lordship. A little of His will. A little of His presence. A little of His cross, or no cross at all. He offers us none of these options. He calls us to take Him as He and all that He is. No boundaries upon Him and no limitations. Every part of ourselves is open to Him....as He is, not as we wish Him to be. Not only the Gentle Shepherd, but also as the Conquering King. Not only as Suffering Servant, but as all consuming Lord and Master. Everybody does not need a little Jesus. They need all of who He is, what He commands, and where He leads.....as well as the cross He calls us to carry.

I think our first response to Jesus' question to Peter in John 21:15 when He asks him if he loves Him "more than these," is to think He's asking if Peter loves Him more than the other disciples do and more than he loves them. He is asking him that, but I see "these" as encompassing far more than that. I believe "these" includes everything that stands in competition against Christ in Peter's life. People, goods, status, family, ministry. He asks the same of us. There is no "little Jesus" option. So, how do we answer Him?

Blessings,
Pastor O