“3 principles to help you lead”
Posted on Sunday, February 8, 2015 by
Shepherding. Not a common vocation in our world today, at least not in the Tacoma area. But as I look through the Bible in search of examples of leadership and how God has used people throughout His story, the picture of and qualities of a good shepherd often pop up.
In Old and New Testament times, the shepherd was a key person because the sheep (and goats, who made up 1/2 of the typical flock) was a staple of the economy for primarily their milk. Throughout the Bible God uses the imagery of the “shepherd” to relate his care and concern for his people: we are the sheep of his pasture, the good shepherd knows his sheep, we are like sheep without a shepherd, wandering and lost.
Shepherding was hard work! No curriculum was handed out day 1 of the job, rather it was a long term apprenticeship to learn as you go. Shepherds wore many hats: guardians against predators, search and rescue when sheep would wander away, midwife in birth... and the list went on. Most importantly, an effective shepherd understood the necessity of having a sense of ownership and stewardship—they may not be the owner but they would do their best to honor the true owner with their diligence, hard work, and covering over these sheep. A simple “hired hand” wouldn’t do.
As I look at shepherding, three Godly leadership principles—the 3 P’s—rise to best summarize not only the role of the shepherd in Jesus’ time…but also how we can lead at home, in our ministry and community.
The first P is Provision. A good shepherd, a good leader is one who provides for the needs of his flock. It’s a leader who looks out for “good land and safe water” to lead those who follow them. Like a shepherd in the Middle East would look long and hard for a small spot of grass to feed their flock, good leaders ask, “how can I feed (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) those I lead? What do they need to grow?”
The second P is Protection. The shepherd had their head on a “swivel” at all times, scanning the horizon for any threat. As a godly leader our role is to look out for anything or anyone who could harm those we lead. How will we “lay down our lives” for those who are in our care? And what does protection look like? Sometimes it’s physical—standing in the way of injustice that looks you straight in the eye. But often it’s the simple, consistent and humble act of prayer—asking the Father for his ultimate, good and faithful protection, not only from outside forces but sometimes from our own broken desires.
Finally, the third P is Presence. In John 10 Jesus is described as the Good Shepherd. It goes on to say that the sheep know his voice and he knows their names. This kind of intimacy and the resulting trust only comes by time spent together. You may protect and provide but ultimately what people want most is our time, our listening ear, our physical presence. How are we doing at spending time with those we lead, listening to their dreams and frustrations alike?
The more I study shepherds and the many skills they needed to be “successful”, the more I’m amazed at God’s example of Jesus as our shepherd. He calls us by name and we can know his voice. God, give us the wisdom to lead those around us well—with protection, presence and provision. We trust you to lead us first and to bring us to the place where we need you more desperately than anything else!
More information about Holly Culhane's "3 P's" can be found here on YFC.net