"Do you love me more than these?" In the conversation with Peter, Jesus pointed out the three levels of loving God.

1.Those who love God should forsake everything

Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me more than these?" It was a very practical question.

Before Peter were the tools he relied on for survival: his fishing nets, his boat, and the 153 fish that Jesus gave him.

Each of us has to work, for "people must eat".

Fishing was the means by which Peter made a living, and the fish he caught were what he needed to sustain his life. 

Just like in the world, each of us has to work, we need sources for clothing, food, shelter and transportation.

After Jesus was crucified, Peter returned to his former occupation.

Jesus asked him, "Do you love these more than me?" He asked him three times, and by the third time, Peter was in tears. 

Three years ago, when Jesus first came to call him, he was fishing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee with his brother Andrew. They "worked hard all night and caught nothing." 

But at Jesus' instruction, they "let down the nets and caught a great number of fish, so that their nets were breaking" and "filled both boats so full that they began to sink."

After that experience, Peter and his brother "pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Jesus". 

Peter had decided to leave his fishing occupation and had been following Jesus for three years.

Now he was back to his former occupation. The reason for this is that they encountered difficulties in their lives, so they thought of returning to their old profession.

However, I don't think that's the root cause. The real reason is that Peter's faith was not strong enough. 

Therefore, Jesus asked him, "Do you love me more than these?" 

Jesus reminded him that those who truly love God will not reduce or give up their love for God because of temporary material shortages. 

Instead, they will give up everything for the sake of loving God.