Jesus *said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”(John 21:12a NASB)

After the resurrection, Jesus manifested himself to his disciples on the Sea of Tiberias.  When the disciples, including Peter who had failed him so miserably, came into shore from fishing, Jesus said, “Come and have breakfast.”

Have you ever failed someone?  You feel such shame, and you can hardly look them in the eyes.  Peter, the one who had so boldly proclaimed his alienage to Jesus, had so publically forsaken him.  Peter meant it when he said that he would die with his Savior, yet he was not able to live up to his words. When we fall short in life, we fear the day that we will be confronted with the consequences of our actions.  Peter must have been dreading that enviable question from Jesus, how could you have done it?  He might have been thinking about the moment he would look into the eyes of Jesus. It would be worse than any lecture he could receive, yet something very different transpired.

It was not a question, a lecture, or the look, but an invitation to come and have something to eat.  It was a gesture of acceptance and desire for relationship. Jesus was not taken back by Peter’s earlier words.  At the time, he knew he could not live up to them.  Jesus accepted Peter as he was not as he should have been.  In doing so, Jesus was taking him from what Peter was to what he could be.

On that beach that morning Peter looked into Jesus’ eyes and felt no shame, only love, and acceptance.  Has Christ ever said to you, come and have breakfast? It will change you from what you are to what you can be.

I worked for seventeen years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission.  My missionary work has taken me to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, and Ukraine.  I hold a Masters of Education in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.  [email protected]