The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, Do you love me?” Peter was hurt because he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” John 21:17 NIV

While passing through a busy intersection, I zipped past a Walmart Super-Center and noticed a man holding up a sign. He had two, maybe three children standing next to him and I think the sign read, “Hungry.”  I don’t know what else was written because I sped by too quickly. I was in a hurry to get home, it was hot, and it’s dangerous to stop amid traffic. That’s what I keep telling myself.

The truth is, I could have turned around. What if I’d done so and offered to purchase a cart of groceries for this family? Sometimes, I don’t have the extra cash, but on this particular day, I did.

This morning, I thought of the family in need and I did the only thing I could do to help them— I lifted a prayer and asked the Lord to meet their needs, to send someone to help them, and to forgive me for failing to literally “feed His sheep.”

Every day there are choices to make, moments to react. In my haste, I missed the opportunity to be a blessing to someone, and therefore, I missed being blessed.

In America, no one wants to answer a door when a stranger knocks. But I’m sure, if I’d fed this family, if I’d let them see Jesus living in me, I could have been a witness any maybe had the opportunity to share the “bread of life.”

It seems I’m always in a hurry. Do you recall any story of Jesus rushing anywhere? Even when he heard Lazarus, whom he loved, was ill, he took his time.

What about you? Did God give you an opportunity to “feed his sheep” this week?  I hope you responded better than I.