BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Sam 22-24
LIVING BY EXAMPLE
MEMORIZE: "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young" (Isaiah 40:11)
READ: Isaiah 40:9-11
“He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11). Members of the congregation are the lambs and must be handled with care. Most members do not know their left from their right so when they err, they should be corrected with love and gently shown the right way from the Word of God. Members should not be disciplined by the pastor, but a member who already knows the truth but chooses to violate it will be courting trouble. Workers on the other hand are assumed to have known the truth hence they should be disciplined when they sin. However, this should be done in love, agree with scriptures and be intended to bring back the offender to the path of holiness. It is wrong for a leader to become high-handed, wicked and malicious while claiming to correct an offender. There must be fair-play, and the leader must have no sacred cows. If discipline is properly done, the offender’s faith would be restored, others would be deterred from committing similar offenses, there would be no bad blood, and genuine prayers would be offered for the offender. Above all, God’s name would be glorified.
Another duty of a shepherd is to lead by example. The leader is expected to stand in front of those he is leading and go ahead so they can follow him. We live at a time when leaders would comfortably say, ‘Do as I say but not as I do’. The lifestyle of many leaders could comfortably take their followers to hell. A leader who cannot lead by example is a hypocrite. If you teach people to give but you do not, your followers would know. They too would not give. In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul admonished the brethren to follow him. If those under you should follow your conduct, would they get to Heaven? God expects us to care for the flock especially the poor. When I newly became saved, I regularly attended Bible study. One day, I left the university early to enable me cut grass at our Ebute-Metta headquarters before the Bible study began. I was very hungry. I still cannot tell how one of the brothers living in the church premises knew. He came to me and said, ‘Bro, please come’. I followed him and he gave me food. If we can care for the needy ones in our churches and neighborhoods, we would have space problem in our parishes.
ACTIONPOINT: Some leaders lead from behind. Ask that God will make you a true leader with a positive example to back you up.
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