Do you have a child who seems to hear you only when he wants to? He doesn't hear you the first time you ask him to please bring his math book home so you can help him. Nor does he seem to hear you the second time you mention it. You have to tell him three times.

The apostle Peter was like that. Remember his after-breakfast conversation with Jesus by the Sea of Galilee? As they talked, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Three times He said that if Peter truly loved Him, he would feed His sheep (Jn. 21:15-17).

On another occasion, God repeated an important message to Peter three times (Acts 10). He was shown a vision of a sheet coming down from heaven. On the sheet were animals he had considered unclean. Yet a voice told him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat" (v.13). Not once, not twice, but three times (v.16).

From what we know of Peter, he was a man who was hard to convince. God's patience with him can encourage us to be as longsuffering with others, especially our children. If we have a child like Peter, we need to be persistent--never tiring of instructing him or her in the things that are necessary. After all, Peter turned out all right, don't you think?  — Dave Branon