Jump Start # 3619

John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me.”

One of the special things that our congregation provides is daily features on social platforms. This blog, Jump Starts, is released Monday thru Friday. In addition, there are three podcasts, “Heaven Bound,” that are broadcast every week. And, another daily footprint we have on social media are our “Quick Quotes.” These are short, pithy statements intended to make us think and help us with our focus. All of these items can be found on our website, as well as other social media outlets.

Recently, one of our Quick Quotes said, “A good leader was once a good follower.” I want to give some thought to that statement.

First, a good leader understands what it is like to follow. Understanding that will help him in his leadership. No one wants to be screamed at. Demands and threats, may bring results, but they also bring resentment. Leaders come in all sizes and they are found throughout life. The work place could be made better if leaders had the heart of a follower. Position and power destroy many leaders.

Two important aspects for us to consider is both the home and the church. Sometimes parents forget what it is like being a child. Kids make mistakes. They’ll spill the milk, forget what you told them, and don’t think very deeply. Wanting a child to reason and behave like an adult is unfair and unfortunate, because it won’t work. Can you remember being a child? I remember practicing bowling in our house with my brothers, the bowling ball knocked over a table, a lamb and nearly went through a picture window. Hitting a foul ball in the back yard, and the baseball broke a basement window. You have to understand, we lived next to a school yard. We had a big field to play ball in. No, we’d play next to the house in our backyard. Learning grownup principles such as saving money, telling the truth, being responsible and thinking beyond yourself takes time and patience. Parents, remember? You were once a child.

But this is also true within the church. There are mature Christians and those who are learning. We can forget about the silly questions we asked in a Bible class just to get attention and make others laugh. Coming in at the last second, when others were waiting for us, unsure whether we’d make it time for us to do what we were supposed to do that day. Patience and growth helped us mature.

A good leader understands what it is like to follow.

Second, a good leader continues to follow. This is where our Quick Quote breaks down. It seems to imply that a good leader once followed, but now he doesn’t. Not sure I buy into that. A good leader is always learning, growing and by that he is following. As a disciple, we never stop following.

This brings a thought that many elders or shepherds forget and it is something that is missing from the good shepherd concepts of John 10. In John, Jesus brings the shepherd/sheep idea to what He was doing with His disciples. Jesus was the good shepherd. Jesus knows the sheep. He calls them by name. He goes before them. The sheep listen to His voice. The sheep follow. We can see this picture in our minds of a shepherd and the sheep. But, the one mistake in this analogy is that a shepherd is a human and the sheep are animals. The human was always a human and the sheep are always animals. In the kingdom of Christ, those that shepherd God’s flock not only once were sheep, they are still sheep. They now wear two hats. The hat of the sheep and the hat of the shepherd.

As the sheep need protection, guidance and help, so does God’s shepherds today. They need this because they are still sheep. The eldership oversees the individual shepherd. The eldership guides the individual shepherd. And, the individual shepherd must be subject to the eldership. He cannot act independent of them, because he is a shepherd. There can not be two sets of rules, one for the sheep and another for the leaders.

There are so many powerful books in the business world about connecting, leading, confrontations, communication, influence, that today’s shepherds need to go through and consider. This is not an attempt to run the church like a business, not at all. But, there are many parallels about dealing with people that would help the shepherd in the kingdom today. Growing, learning and doing better, must be within the heart of a shepherd.

Third, those that lead with kindness and compassion, develop wonderful relationships with those they are guiding. Neglect, abuse and dysfunction, be it in the home or the church, cripples relationships and stunts the growth that could have taken place.

A good leader remembers that he is a follower.

Roger

Jump Start # 3146

John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me.”

I’ve been doing some preaching recently about the role of shepherds in God’s church. This is one of my favorite topics and I have traveled the country talking to leaders in the church about their role. Moving away from the administrative, micro-managing, CEO business model that is dominate in so many congregations today is hard. But, many are seeing that what they have been doing is not working and it’s not really the Biblical model and pattern that God has. It’s great to sit in a room of Godly men, with their Bibles opened and to talk feely about these things. I love seeing the light bulbs come on in their thinking. They are getting it and what a powerful and positive change they will make for the church.

In our verse, two things come up. Jesus knows His sheep and His sheep know Him. This comes about because He cares. In Acts, the apostle reminds us that Jesus purchased the church with His own blood. He gave the ultimate sacrifice, the most precious thing He had on earth was His life.

Jesus knows the sheep because He cares. The previous verse in John 10 reminds us that the hireling runs when trouble arises. He saves his own skin. He leaves the flock to fend for themselves, which they are incapable of doing. The Lord tells us that the hireling runs because he “is not concerned about the sheep.” That’s it. That’s the bottom line. When you don’t care, you simply do not care. No loss of sleep, no second thoughts, no worrying. It’s not your problem, so you don’t make it your problem. That’s the hireling. Sadly, that does describe some elderships today. They need to change. They need to do better.

But, from our verse today comes a thought. “I know My own, and My own know Me,” says the Lord.

First, sometimes we make it very, very hard for shepherds to know us. We carry things very close to our vest. We do not reveal. When asked, we are vague. When a shepherd wants to come over and visit with us, we are quick to turn that down. Don’t want you in my home. How about going out for lunch? Too busy. How about coming over to my home, the shepherd offers? Nope.

It’s hard for shepherds to know the sheep, when we make ourselves unknowable. Then, on top of that, some will complain and pitch a fit, that no one came to visit them in the hospital when they had surgery. How were they to know you were in the hospital, when you don’t share things? Some will complain that the shepherds keep their distance, when the truth is, we walk about in a cloud and we keep them at arms length.

Jesus had an advantage that doesn’t exist today. He was God on earth. He could read hearts and know what people were thinking, even when they never said a word. Our shepherds today can’t do that. They only know what we will tell them. They want transparency, but we like hiding behind clouds. They want to be open, and we want to be closed.

Knowing sheep and knowing shepherds is a two way street.

Second, Jesus is showing us that the more we understand each other, the closer we are connected, the better it is. The hireling didn’t care. Jesus does. As we build relationships, the trust, love and concern for each other grows. Their words take on greater emphasis because they know us. They love us. They are concerned for us.

Third, there will be some natural bonds established because of similarities in life. Fishing or golfing buddies have a lot in common. That bond grows tighter when one is a shepherd. Age, family matters, hobbies, interests will pull you closer to one shepherd more than others. Among the shepherds, there cannot be jealousy because of that. Use that opportunity to help grow, develop and mentor those that are close to you. Jesus did more with the apostles than He did with the multitudes. Jesus had a purpose and a special bond with the chosen. Did that mean He liked them better? Not necessarily. But time together allowed Jesus to say and do things with the twelve that He didn’t do with others.

Even among those dear to Him, like Mary and Martha, we do not find the Lord rebuking them and saying, “O you of little faith,” when they were upset about the death of Lazarus. He did tell the disciples, in that same context, “I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe…”

The closeness of friendship must not taint our eyes or change our mission with what needs to be done. Favoritism does not belong in the home or the church. When something needs to be done, then stick with the Biblical pattern and do it. Do it with kindness and love. Do it with promptness. But don’t drag your heels because it is a friend who is involved. Use that opportunity to reach out and say what you couldn’t to someone else.

I know and they know…what a wonderful relationship.

Roger