Feed My Sheep

To my son,

Before being called by the Savior to follow Him during His earthly ministry, Peter was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. That’s how he earned his livelihood and provided for his family. Jesus found him one day in his boat and said to Peter: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” Peter responded, “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” They had been fishing all night and hadn’t caught anything, but he did as Jesus requested. Luke recorded, “And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.” He caught so many fish that the ships began to sink because they were so heavy with the fish! This enormous catch of fish likely was able to give Peter the financial means to care for his family and give up the business to follow Jesus. The Savior said to him: “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” And so, Peter “forsook all, and followed him” (Luke 5:4-11). He was willing to give up his fishing so he could devote all his time to following Jesus and learning from Him. You too will have opportunities in your life to make sacrifices of worldly things in order to follow Jesus, and I hope like Peter of old that you will be ready and willing to do so.

Interestingly, a very similar scene happened about three years later after the Savior died and was resurrected. John recorded that Peter was in Galilee with some of the other disciples when he announced to them, “I go a fishing.” But once again, they toiled all night and caught nothing. In the morning Jesus once again came to them, and calling out He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” Just like before, they caught a huge number of fish—153 to be exact. After Peter got those to the shore Jesus made food for them, “Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” He asked the same question again two more times, and each time as Peter affirmed that he did love the Lord, the Savior encouraged Peter to feed His sheep. Elder Holland suggested what the Savior may have been trying to say here to Peter: “Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn’t it obvious then and isn’t it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? What I need, Peter, are disciples—and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do.” The Lord didn’t need Peter to catch fish; rather, He needed Peter to be a fisher of men throughout the rest of his life. He needed Peter to preach the gospel and bless the children of men with the good news of Christ’s salvation through faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. I hope that you and I will always remember that doing the work of Jesus is far more important than doing our own work. 

Love,

Dad