More Than These?

Peter had just been fishing all night and then he recognized Jesus upon the shore.  John 21:15 “Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?””   What a challenging statement.  Slightly more than a week before this Peter, in the presence of a young maiden, has cursed and denied the Lord.  Now after the resurrection, Jesus challenges Peter again.  “Do you love me more than these?”
   The word “these” could refer to the other disciples, it could be the boat, the fish, the things around them, it could be the people who had intimidated him earlier. It could have been anything that brought Peter to the point of denying the Lord.  Though uncertain what Jesus was referring to, Jesus was clearly challenging what Peter was putting his affection on. “Do you love Me more than these?”
  Unfortunately many believers are easily intimidated, we are no different than Peter was.  Yet something changed in the life of Peter.  The once easily intimidated disciple becomes a strong leader within the Kingdom of God.  Perhaps He allowed his love for other things and his denial of Christ to push him to a true love for Jesus.  A love that would never be swayed.
  Lord, help us to have a love for You, that is greater than these other things around us.