Are You a Good Shepherd?

Are you a hireling or a good shepherd? It is a great privilege and honour to have people entrusted to one’s care as a father, mother, teacher, pastor, or unit head, etc. However, God expects anyone with such privilege to be a good shepherd. This post is aimed at helping the reader to evaluate his or her leadership position, no matter how small the person considers it to be.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own – John 10:11-14 (NKJV).

There is excitement for many people when they are made leaders, but many forget that leadership position comes with great responsibility. You may have been made a leader of some person(s) by a man but you were ultimately elected by God (Romans 13:1), and you are accountable to Him. There were other people who desired to be in that position but you were chosen; some may have been more equipped than you were, but you were chosen. Even as a father or a mother, some people long to be one and are still waiting, but you are one already. Therefore, you are not to take your position lightly.

Jesus said in John 20:21 that He sends you even as the Father sent Him. Christ was a good shepherd and He has sent you to be one too. A shepherd has an important role to play in the life of a sheep. This is shown by the fact that once the shepherd is struck the sheep will scatter (Zechariah 13:7). Sheep need the leader to fulfil destiny and God has placed you as one to help the sheep to fulfil destiny. Are you fulfilling this role in the lives of the sheep under you? Read more...