Being a Humble Shepherd
Peter leaves us with a final word to the elders. He is uniquely qualified to teach the mature leaders of the church. He is, afterall one of the original apostles. Not only was he one of the apostles, we discussed at the beginning of this book that he was one of the most spoken about and one of closest to our Savior. Yet, he never says this of himself. This man who could have been described as boastful and proud at the beginning of his relationship with Jesus now presents himself humbly. The more we walk with the Lord, the more like him we become. Peter’s life demonstrates the power of God to change us into His likeness. He who was once scared for his life at being recognized as one of Jesus’ disciples ended his life proudly affirming that relationship. The stubborn heart softened into that of a loving leader.
Peter refers to himself simply as “a fellow elder”. Charles Spurgeon once said, “It will always be our wisdom, dear friends, to put ourselves as much as we can into the position of those whom we address. It is a pity for anyone ever to seem to preach down to people; it is always better to be as nearly as possible on the same level as they are.” What an example of humility. This is the example we should try to copy. When we think ourselves smarter than the other people in the room, we soon find someone who puts our wisdom to shame. Jesus taught that we need to remember our humility. In Luke 14:7-9 we read, “When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.’”
Our goal as mature Christians is to help guide the younger or newer believers. If we attempt to do this by yelling and demeaning others, we will soon discover that no one wants to listen to us. Our credibility will be lost. Our witness will be tarnished. Jesus is the ultimate authority. He walked among mankind and yet never raged against those who were mistaken. He never made the lost to feel undesired. He never pushed away the mistaken. He rebuked but never abused. This is our example, and it is one Peter adopted as well. Both Jesus and Peter compared the work of leaders in the church to being a shepherd.
A spiritual shepherd carries a heavy responsibility. They are called to feed, guide, and protect the sheep. We may not all be leaders of the church, but we should also adopt the attitude of a shepherd. If we are spiritually mature, we are called to lead others. We could attempt to lead like a task master with a whip, or we can follow the example of Christ and don the attitude of a servant and shepherd. How do we feed others? We teach. This doesn’t have to be in a formal setting of Sunday services or Bible study. We can do this individually with those whom God places in our lives. We teach by example and by words of wisdom given at the right time. We guide by offering advice and loving rebuke, always remembering that the goal is restoration not retaliation. Protection comes when we step between those in our spiritual care and the devil’s torments. When we point out the dangerous path they have chosen we may not be well received but we may just save them from disaster. Being a shepherd requires that we are invested in the lives God places in our care. We must be willing to go the extra mile. We must be open to inviting others in, and venturing into their lives to share with them.
Whenever God places a person in your life, look for ways to bless them. Look for opportunities to share from your experiences. God will lead us to people with similar pasts or similar weaknesses. The lessons we have learned can be shared to help others as they too mature in their relationship with the Lord. Our honest and humble approach towards others will strengthen our unity and help to ensure we keep the flock safe.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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