Job Interview With Jesus

Friday's Good News gives us an insight into what a job interview would be like with Jesus. There's an opening, an opening for a shepherd, a shepherd to succeed the Greatest shepherd of all. We find that Jesus knowing that He soon will leave this earthly domain to go back to the Father needs someone to take over His duties and responsibilities here on earth. He has spent three years teaching twelve discliples and many others all the ins and outs of what it takes to be a good shepherd. These are people he hand picked to follow Him saying that He was going to make them 'fishers of men.'

So over the three years time, He's been training them via parables and good works, showing them obstacles they are to face with the many who think are much smarter. He makes His mission statement very clear to them, backing up his preaching with real life examples that He gives them every day. He gave them the Beatitudes and also gave them a new commandment, 'that you love one another, even as I loved you.' He taught them how to preach, how to dress, what to say, how to act, etc. and then sent them out on a field trip two by two and had them give an oral report at the end of this exercise.

Jesus has made his evaluations of the twelve from observing them over the three years and is now ready to choose His successor on earth, Peter. I think that the encounter written by John is like a final job interview for Peter. It doesn't last long and there aren't many questions, just one question asked three times, "Do you love me?" Peter answers, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Why is he asked three times? Sometimes my mind tends to think that to me this makes up for the three times Peter denied him.

But in any case the job interview is over and Jesus doesn't say congratulations, He says, "Feed my lambs." "Tend my sheep." "Feed my sheep." The Lord knows of the difficulties ahead and knows of the death Peter will face by following him. He doesn't say congratulations, instead Jesus says, "Follow me."

How would you fare at this job interview? Be prepared because it's coming - you just don't know when and I'm sure you don't want to be caught off guard.