Over the past ten years, I have had the privilege of being a pastor’s wife and joining people on their journey to a deeper walk with God. But, I have always wrestled with the question of how to help women be sptirtually formed, and eventually transformed into the likeness of Christ. Recently, I joined a bible study that has helped me look at the gospel of John in a fresh, new way. I never realized that this gospel account has a lot to say about sptiritual formation.
Perhaps the best excample is in John 21:15-17. Now, in my Bible, the publishers chose to subtitle this section “ Jesus reinstates Peter.” I think that is so interesting that this is the last interaction we have with Jesus before the book ends.And what is the last event John wants us to remember about Jesus- – a reconciliation between Peter and Jesus. What is the last thing that happened between Peter and Jesus before He is arrested? Peter’s denial of Jesus. How fitting of John to leave us with a message of hope and reconciliation as He ends the book.
I’ve never quite understood why Jesus asks him three times “ Do you love me?”. The answer is this: Peter had lost sight of what is important. Think about some of the encounters of Peter that we know of. Peter walks on water, for example. The first person to jump out of the boat, yet as soon as he thinks about what he is doing in the context of life’s surroundings, he doubts and falls. He takes His eyes off of the prize. Jesus is arrested. Soldier comes at Jesus. What does peter do? Cuts his ear off. Jesus has to heal his ear in response. Because the point was not to protect Jesus. The soldiers were doing what had to be done for Scripture to be revealed. Peter’s proclamation that Jesus is the christ. Jesus says he’ll deny him , Peter responds with “ even if everyone else does, I won’t”. Jesus says “you will”, and peter still denies. Before the end of the night, Peter denies. What does peter care about-what people think of him. He lost sight of what was important. So, why is this exchange so important? It is Jesus’ reminder of what is truly important. Peter was so good at proclaiming it. He knew Jesus in his head, but his heart was elsewhere. He cared more about the temporal things of life than about his relationship with Christ. Jesus says, if you want to be my follower, and if you really believe me above all else, feed my sheep. This is spitirual formation at its finest.
So, think about this in terms of the farm illustration. What does feed mean? It means to shepherd, guide, direct. Show them the way to go. Literally, lead them to pasture. Notice it doesn’t say eat for them. We can only lead, and set the example for other. We cannot make people eat and grow . Shepherds also not only have the knowlwdge of how to manage their farms, but they also act on it. They usher others to do the same.
Dallas Willard, in his book Renovation of the Heart talks about 3 keys to spiritual foramtion, He calls it the VIM diagram: Vision, intention and action. We have a vision for a goal to be transformed, we make an intention, or as Willard says we decide to do it, and then we do it. We can have all of the visions for our life. We can even make a decision to do it. But, if there is no action to it, it never produces the fruit that lasts. Willard says that the Kingdom of God is right here, right now. We have an invitation to particiapte in it or not. But, we have to act with intention. Actually,Willard says if there is no fruit behind the decision or belief, you cannot be a part of the Kingdom.
Some harsh words from Willard, but thought provoking as well. What will you say to the Lord when He asks you to " feed my sheep?"
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