Once upon a time, a preacher led his church members on a tour to Jerusalem. While they were on a bus on the first day, the preacher started teaching the group about shepherds and how they lead the flock by just walking in front of them while the sheep followed behind wherever he went. He assured them that they would see that on the way.

True to his statement, they came across a herd of sheep, but this time the shepherd was chasing the flock. The preacher was so distressed by how the shepherd was chasing the sheep, he asked the bus driver to stop so that he could talk to the shepherd and find out what was going on.

The preacher got off the bus and greeted the shepherd, he said, “I thought shepherds lead their flock by going ahead of them, and that is what I was teaching my church members on the bus; I am disappointed to see that you are chasing, striking, and hitting them.  This contradicts what I was teaching and everything I know about shepherds.

Immediately, the shepherd replied and said, “You are very right, about shepherds, but I am the butcher; I am taking them to the slaughter.”

The lesson, not all who lead the sheep are taking them to the green pasture; some are taking them to the slaughterhouse.

Acts 20:28 reminds shepherds [elders] of the church, “…to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”  God has given us a wonderful plan for how the church is to be cared for and led.  When elders lead like shepherds, they are imitating the very example of Jesus Christ, who is the Chief Shepherd; He was not a butcher(1 Peter 5:4). 

Although not all of us are or will be a shepherd in the Lord’s church, may we learn to reflect the heart and nature of Christ in every area of our lives as He modeled what it was like to be a true shepherd (John 10:1-18).  Think about it! 

 

In Christ’s Service, Mark T. Tonkery