Love isn’t always as simple as it sounds
For a long time, I thought loving was just a nice sentiment
—something you were supposed to feel, or at least try to show.
But over time, being honest with myself, I realized that I knew how to talk about God's lovebut I struggled to live it in my daily life—especially with those closest to me.
Real people, with flaws, with stories different from mine, even within my own family.
It was while re-reading a familiar story that things finally began to click.
Jesus, Peter… and an uncomfortable question
In John 21, Jesus meets Peter after everything that happened: the denial, the guilt, the silence.
Instead of a reproach, Jesus asks a question that goes straight to the heart:
“Do you love me?”
Jesus doesn't ask Peter if he learned his lesson.
He doesn't ask if he feels worthy now
He simply asks if he loves Him.
Then comes the response that changes everything:
“Feed my sheep.”
That’s when I understood something vital: the love Jesus expects isn't just words;it’s expressed in caring for others.
Peter had failed; he was weak and had denied Jesus.
Yet, Jesus calls him back, restores him, and entrusts him with people.
Love born from a real encounter
There is a kind of love that isn't born from human effort, obligation, or even likability.
It’s born from a genuine encounter with God..
When you understand—even just a little—that you have been loved without deserving it, something changes inside. It’s no longer just about feelings; it’s about character, conduct, and daily decisions.
Paul is a clear example: a persecutor turned apostle.
One encounter with Jesus was enough to change his entire life’s direction.
I believe the same happens to us: when we truly grasp that God loved us first, we can no longer stay the same..
That love doesn't stay as a "nice idea"; it shows up when we try to live out our faith in the mundane, even with our limitations.
What is expected of us (even when it’s hard)
Jesus said we would be recognized by our love—not by the meetings we attend, the verses we know, or how spiritual we appear.
But by how we love. And that love isn't theoretical; it lives in patience, in care, and in a genuine interest in the other person.
Loving as Jesus loved requires an internal shift. It’s not automatic, and it’s not always comfortable.
But that is exactly where the begins to manifest. Fruit of the Spirit
"Feeding the sheep" today
When Jesus tells Peter to care for the sheep, He isn't being abstract.
He’s talking about real people, with real burdens and real processes.
Some don't know God yet; others do, but they are tired, hurting, or confused.
And here’s the important part: we aren't called to do this alone..
The Holy Spirit accompanies us, guides us, and reminds us that the love we give doesn't originate in us—it has already been poured into our hearts.
Taking off the masks
This teaching confronts me because it forces me to ask:
- Am I loving others out of Christ’s sacrifice or out of my own comfort?
- Are there people around me I’ve stopped caring for due to selfishness, exhaustion, or indifference?
- Am I willing to love when I get nothing in return?
I don’t always like the answer, but I know God is still working there.
A personal invitation
This message isn't meant to point fingers; it’s meant to bring us back to the source: to the love that reached us first, and the calling to care for others despite our imperfections.
If one thing is clear to me, it's this: loving as Jesus loves transforms both the one who receives and the one who chooses to love..