“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’” – John 21:17
You can feel Peter’s pain and guilt in these words. First, Peter betrayed Jesus after proclaiming his faith at the last supper. Then, on this morning, Jesus calls Peter aside after breakfast – calling him Simon, not Peter. How Peter must have felt – “I have failed and now Jesus is taking the keys back.”
But, no. That isn’t Jesus’ intent at all. Yes, it seems Jesus backs Simon into a corner. But, only to reset. Peter stands and fights for what he felt he lost in his failure. Jesus takes him back to the moment Jesus first called Simon – and calls him again.
The idea of receiving a second chance is particularly attractive in this era of people being canceled. If you went golfing with Jesus, you would be quite sure that he would give you a mulligan, that extra stroke when you blew it. Peter got a mulligan after denying the Lord three times. A mulligan is a do-over in golf. I’ve never had one, but I’ve been with people who have. Of course, I haven’t been golfing very much at all. You shank your shot and it hits some trees and the group gives you a do-over gift, a shot that doesn’t count the bad shot against you.
Are you in need of a mulligan? Have you blown it? Did you screw up and now think that your life is over for the most part?You’re damaged goods and need help figuring out what to do?
Listen, my friend. If you have failed in an area of your life and you don’t know what to do, start over and begin anew. Enter chapter two of your walk and determine to be faithful. You won’t be going forward with an asterisk next to your name. No. It’s truly a new beginning.