In the Old Testament God refers to the leaders among His people as shepherds. He doesn’t limit the title only to men in religious positions. He also uses it to refer to their political leaders, people who were in places of influence for the welfare of the people.
After King Saul died, the people rallied to David and said, “In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will SHEPHERD My people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’” (2 Samuel 5:2)
Anyone who leads or manages people, whether in business, a home, or a church, is to use their position of authority to make decisions that will improve the lives of the people under them. So often in our world, though, that concept is reversed.
The person at the top often thinks that he or she is to be served by those under them. It frequently happens in business, and it is not uncommon in politics, either. Sadly, the church is not immune to pastors who succumb to pride and heavy-handed leadership, either.
God takes the responsibilities of leadership very seriously. He rebuked those who abused their positions in Israel. His indictment was clear. “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool, and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.” (Ezekiel 34:2-4)
We need good leaders because people are a lot like sheep. Instead of evoking an image of strength, fearlessness, or intelligence, sheep are known to be weak, fearful, and foolish. In his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, author Phillip Keller recalls seeing sheep being led into an enclosure. Most of the sheep entered through the open gate, but there were some that kept butting their heads against the fence, trying to get in a way of their own choosing.
It was at that time that Keller realized how people, including himself, can be so stubborn, wanting our own way. A verse that reinforces this is “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him [Messiah] the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
In these three verses from Ezekiel are found five of the duties of leaders. These are the duties of anyone who manages others in politics, business, or family.
Strengthen the weak – a good leader realizes that not everyone is a self-starter, or a fearless entrepreneur, or thrives on change; the pastor will also help new believers learn the fundamentals of their relationship with God
Heal the sick – a good leader is aware of the emotional condition of his or her flock; for the Christian, this could include someone who is burdened down by unconfessed sin
Bind up the injured – a good leader helps their people to succeed because failure is a big injury to many; for the Christian, it can include helping them to forgive instead of becoming bitter
Bring back the strays – a good leader notices when one of his or her people withdraws from the group; they make sure that no cliques form; for the Christian, this person may have wandered away from the church and not be going anywhere
Search for the lost – a good leader delegates appropriate activities to others; for the church leader, they must always spur on their people to share the Gospel with those who haven’t yet entered into a love-relationship with Jesus
To get a glimpse of the perfect Shepherd, gaze at Jesus. He said, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me.” (John 10:11, 14)
If you haven’t yet repented of your sin and asked Jesus to be your Shepherd, I hope you’ll do that today.
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