NO MORE MARY

In the Gospel of John 21 is the exchange between Jesus and Peter concerning their relationship. Peter had been pretty sketchy during the last days before Jesus’ death and was in dialog to be restored. Each of the three questions the Lord asked Peter began with, ‘Do you love me?’ Each time Peter answered, ‘Yes, Lord, I love you.’ Then Jesus followed each of the three directives with these answers: ‘Feed my lambs,’ ‘Take care of my sheep,’ and ‘Feed my sheep.’

I think there is an important progression to this feeding the little ones, taking care of the needs of the whole flock, and feeding the whole flock.

There is an old saying: ‘The one who feeds you, leads you.’ Like Peter, any of us who lead our families or others need to remember: ‘Feed my sheep to lead my sheep.’ (Understood, the feeding can be spiritual, physical, mental, emotional or soul care.)

We have had a vivid example of this truth, ‘the one who feeds you, leads you’ here in the trailer park. Our neighbor Mary lived two trailers down from us and we affectionately called her, Mary the Cat Lady. She fed feral cats out of a kind heart. From five to seven cats a day were at her back door and one whom she named Mr. Smith, followed her up and down the street, tail held high as she took her daily walk. She would stop and pet him as he rubbed himself against her leg. The Lord did not say, ‘Feed my cats’ but the principle is the same. Somebody needed to feed them and somebody needed to care for them.

Recently Mary The Cat Lady moved and soon the cats stop going there. No More Mary. No more food. No more cats. (Note: When No More Mary moved she took Mr. Smith with her to become an inside cat along with her cat Mr. Jones. Mr. Smith is feral no more.)
“Feed my sheep.” Jesus