according to appearance

Back to Breakfast with the Savior.

Love Peter's headlong rush into waters to get to the Lord as fast as possible. He doesn't think of the others. He doesn't think of the water. He doesn't think of the fishcatching. He thinks of Christ beckoning, and that is enough for him.

But one little detail in John21:7 is included. That before that headlong dive, Peter grabs his shirt and puts it on. Nevermind that it might be better to have a dry shirt on at the shore, perhaps swimming with that cloth above the waters to warm himself near Christ. Peter instead figures if his pants are wet, why not also his shirt.

But why the shirt?

Reason one might have to do with our own natural instinct to cover ourselves up before the knowing eyes of the Savior. Adam & Eve do it in the garden. Don't we shuffle our feet and look down when questioned of a wrongful act? And here's Peter about to be before the eyes of the Lord, and he has this natural instinct to cover up.

I like to think it for another reason: Peter wanted to be well-dressed for his breakfast time with the Savior. Like how we want our hair combed and breath fresh on a first date. Like how we dress that extra nicely for Easter. Like how our smiles need to be wide and our eyes open for that holiday photo. Here Peter has this invitation from God to join him for a meal, and darned if his skin doesn't reek of fish, and darned if his hairy chest and flabby gut don't stick out, and darned if he'll look like this in front of the One person he most wants to look good in front of, and better grab this shirt, I need it on, I hope He likes this color, and I hope I'm presentable enough and even though He doesn't care, I better get it on then let's go