Leadership is Shepherding

UV 4286/10000 Leadership is Shepherding “I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them. And they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 23 v 4 The Lord Jesus being the Good Shepherd that He is, sets up or anoints shepherds or leaders or pastors and mentors to take care of His sheep, the believers of Christ Jesus. These shepherds will feed them with knowledge and understanding of the scriptures. They will be fattened and strengthened spiritually such that no one can cause them to be afraid or terrify them. Not one of them will be lost or harmed or found missing. This is the solemn promise or unbreakable covenant of the Lord to husband or protect us to the very end and beyond as no human leader can. The Lord promises to gather His scattered sheep from all the lands or nations of the world and cause them to be fruitful and multiply., We need to be in submission to the spiritual mentors or leaders the Lord sets over us. Their guidance, teachings, encouragement and prayers will safeguard us from the evil one and lead us from victory to victory. We are secure on account of their care and love for us. From this uni-verse, we learn that true leadership is about being good shepherds in the mould and footsteps of Jesus Himself. David, the shepherd boy risked his life as he fought a lion and a bear to safeguard his sheep. Likewise, Jesus fought the roaring lion satan and his underlings to safeguard each one of us. He has wrested us from the mouth of the lion and the deadly claws and crushing embrace of the bear, metaphors for the real threats and dangers we encounter in our lives. A good shepherd also provides for the needs of the sheep. Likewise, the Lord provides abundantly for all our needs, spiritual, material, financial, social, emotional, intellectual such that we lack in nothing. Jesus trains His sheep also to be shepherds to others, to feed, nurture and secure them with the truths of the word that He taught them. The goal is none should be lost. We need to be caring, alert, skillful in the supernatural or spiritual just as the competent shepherd David was in the natural. Knowledge and understanding of the word of God and prayer are the principal weapons of defence and offence in our hands just as the staff and the sling were David’s chief weapons.