rethren and friends, and parade them before
the sun; but He asks with deep meaning if we love Him, leaving
conscience to apply the question. And is there not good reason for Him
to ask it? How you have forgotten Him! You have been occupied with
the world, pleasure, or even sin.

And there is nothing that breaks us down so quickly as this. Peter was
grieved. An old man, eighty years of age, reared in connection with a
church, once found his way to the penitent form, crying, "I've come
here to be broke." Ah, there is nothing that so breaks us down as this!

_The question must be asked as a preliminary to service._--Thrice He
asked Peter, as if to be perfectly sure ere He sent him forth on a
shepherd's work. All the self-denial, patience, tenderness, and
delicacy of love are needed, as the Lord knew well, in dealing with
men, who are naturally uninteresting, or perhaps repulsive, and hence
our Lord saw the necessity that there should be love. But how could
there be love to _them_? It was impossible to expect it; and so Christ
introduced Himself, saying, in effect, "Dost thou love Me? Henceforth
there will be little opportunity of doing anything for Me, thou canst
not now shelter Me in thy home, or let Me use thy fishing boats, or
share My toils; but as thou lovest Me, and desirest to show it, expend
it on those whom I love, for whom I died, and whom I long to see
brought into My fold. If only thou lovest, thou art fit for this."

You may not be naturally fitted to teach children, or shepherd adults;
but if you love Christ you will do better than those more cultured. It
is not science, nor intellect, nor eloquence, that wins souls; but love
to Christ pouring over in love to man. Love will give you a delicacy
of perception, an ingenuity, a persuasiveness, which no heart shall be
able to resist. Love will reconcile the accomplished scholar to a life
among savages, and will carry the refined and cultured lady up to the
sultry attic, or down to the damp and airless cellar. Love will bear
all, believe all, hope all, endure all, if only it may win wild
wandering sheep for Christ.

II. THE CONTRITE REPLY.--_It was very humble_. Peter did not now boast
that he excelled the rest, he did not even dare to stand sponsor for
his own affection; he threw the matter back on his Lord's omniscience,
and without mentioning the degree more or less, he said simply, "Thou
knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love Thee."