I like sheep and shepherds. Here is a note for some companion shepherds:
Dear Wooliam and Bahbera;
Congratulations on receiving your commissions and your first appointment. By now you have unpacked your boxes and found the ones containing your books and notes from Training School. If things went “normally” you have found that you have very little time to consult the collective wisdom found in those resources. After the appointment service, you may have had the opportunity to meet a few of your new congregation. Reality began to peek through the excitement of the commissioning process. You are now shepherds and these folk are just some of your sheep. Oh the prospects, oh the potential, and oh the problems you now assume. Oh the prayers you will pray.
You arrived at you new appointment. You checked out the quarters. You checked out the office. You looked at the corps schedule. You met with more of your people. You checked out the community. You grabbed the brief of appointment left by the officer you followed and reality hit you like a ton of bricks. You are shepherds of this corps and of this community. Oh the prayers you prayed.
I hope you are still praying. It is all a bit overwhelming at first. Yet, it so exciting. The reality of ministry is that while it may look glamorous, it is a lot of hard work. That is why you are called a shepherd. Now it begins to dawn on you that you are going to define just what kind of shepherd you will become. The choices are fairly simple. You can be a good shepherd. You can be a hireling. You can be a bad shepherd.
A good shepherd truly cares for the sheep and is willing to sacrifice for them. A hireling takes care of the sheep and is willing to sacrifice them. A bad shepherd cares about what the sheep can sacrifice for him or her.
A good shepherd follows the example of Jesus Christ who is the Good Shepherd. Do you remember that great description Jesus gave which is recorded in John 10? King David was literally a shepherd of sheep before he became a shepherd of a nation. His experience with sheep prepared him to take care of a nation. It also gave him insight into the kind of care God gives to us. Those thoughts are recorded in Psalm 23 for you to look at. A good shepherd remembers that she or he is a sheep of the Great Shepherd and gives the same kind of care to the flock that they expect from the Great Shepherd.
My prayer is that both of you will be good shepherds and not hirelings or bad shepherds. Good shepherds know their sheep. You have probably met most of the people who are connected with your corps as members of the Sunday congregation, members of the advisory board, and members of your corps programs and maybe even some of your donors. Because of the unique calling God has given to The Salvation Army, you must learn that your flock is also the neighborhood and community that you serve. Members of your flock sleep on the streets at night and some of them are lucky enough to have a car as their hotel. Members of your flock run out of resources before the end of the month and will come to you for groceries. Members of your flock are beaten, used and abused by the very people they trust the most. Members of your flock are little lambs that go to school without breakfast and if you do not get involved in your community those lambs may go without lunch if there is not a lunch program at the school. Members of your flock frequent bars and back allies to feed addictions and spending money that should have gone to feed and clothe their families. Members of your flock are in the local jails and prisons. Members of your flock are the forgotten people in hospitals, nursing homes and in their own homes held hostage by failing bodies. Members of your flock have aids and are dying in hospice centers without the chance to experience the love and grace of God because they have been deemed unfit because of their sin. Not every member of your flock will come to you. You must go to them.
The hireling says, “I am busy enough with those who come to me to worry about those who are out there.” The bad shepherd says, “If they have made choices that put them in harm’s way, they deserve what they get. Besides if they don’t support the corps, why should the corps support them?” The good shepherd finds a way.
The hireling and the bad shepherd say, “DHQ and the Community want programs. They expect us to keep a regular schedule of ministry. They expect us to work all week then provide them with entertainment on Sunday morning. Boy am I glad they don’t expect us to have Sunday night services and open air meetings any more. Now I can be home to watch TV with my family. Well, ok the family is at home watching TV in their own rooms or playing computer games, but we are home together.” The good shepherd finds balance between work, family and self. The good shepherd says, “These are the needs of the corps members and the community. What kind of programs can help meet those needs? How do I equip and enable members of my flock to give leadership to those programs?” The good shepherd remembers that God is our greatest resource and will supply what we need when we ask.
The hireling prays when in need. The bad shepherd prays when all else has failed. The good shepherd bathes everything in prayer and teaches others to pray. The good shepherd understands that most of the spiritual battles are won first in prayer and second in praise. The hireling and the bad shepherd rarely express sincere praise to the Great Shepherd because they don’t recognize grace when it comes. The hireling runs when things get too hard. The bad shepherd digs in and clings to the security of officership all the while sacrificing one sheep after another. The good shepherd gives knowing we can never out give God. Things may be hard, but God will see us through every battle. Prayer and praise are two of the good shepherd’s best weapons.
Well, I think my point is made. As you grow in grace and toil on as shepherds you will face many choices that will define your worth as shepherds. May Jesus who is the Great and Good Shepherd guard you and enable you to be like Him. May you always make the choices that will brand both of you as good shepherds. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Yours in Christ,
A Companion Shepherd for the Lord
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