Love Is Worth the Risk

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

My name is Xochitl Dixon. Today I'm sharing a personal heartache and a word of hope in Love is Worth the Risk. After a friend ended our decade-long friendship without explanation, I began slipping back into my old habit of keeping people at arm's length. While processing my grief, I pulled a tattered copy of The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis off my shelf. Lewis makes a powerful observation about love requiring vulnerability. He states there's no safe investment when a person risks loving.

He suggests that loving anything will lead to your heart being wrung and possibly broken. Reading those words changed how I read the account of the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection in the book of John, after Peter had betrayed him, not once, but three times. Jesus said, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? After experiencing the sting of betrayal and rejection, Jesus spoke to Peter with courage, not fear, strength, not weakness, selflessness, not desperation.

He displayed mercy, not wrath by confirming his willingness to love. Scripture reveals that Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, do you love me? But when Jesus asked Peter to prove his love by loving others and following him, he invited all his disciples to risk loving unconditionally. Each of us will have to answer when Jesus asks, do you love me?

Our answer will impact how we love others. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from John chapter 21 verses 15 to 19. When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? Yes, Lord, he said, you know that I love you. Jesus said, feed my lambs. Again, Jesus said, Simon, son of John, do you love me? He answered, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, take care of my sheep. The third time he said to him, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, do you love me? He said, Lord, you know all things.

You know that I love you. Jesus said, feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted.

But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, follow me. Let's pray. Loving savior, please break down every wall that keeps us from being vulnerable so we can love you and others with spirit empowered courage, compassion and consistency. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.