Not the Whole World

"shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness" -1 Peter 5.2

This two word phrase could probably have been included in the previous post, however these two words really stood out to me as I was studying this verse. If you read the other blog I contribute to, Pr. 18.24, (https://proverbs1824brothers.blogspot.com/) you may remember from the series Jeremy and I have been writing that a significant part of my personality is focused on being helpful to others (Enneagram wing 2).

I have a need to help help others. If I see someone struggling, my initial inclination is to help, and the more difficult the situation, the more I want to help. This is a good thing, but for me, it has also proven to be a struggle. For so many years, I took this part of my personality, or maybe nature is a better a word, to an unhealthy level. My desire to help those around me caused me to ignore my needs, desires, and preferences because there were other people who needed me. I felt the need to be always strong, to never show weakness or uncertainty, and always appear like everything is held together, because the weight of the world was on my shoulders, or so I thought. It wasn't a healthy a way to live, and in all honesty, it was a very lonely life.

The reason these two words hit me, is because they are freeing. As a leader, I am responsible for the care and protection of those I am leading, but I am not called to lead the entire world. I don't have to care for the 7 billion + people in this world, and I don't have to protect all of them. My job is to shepherd the flock of God among myself. I am responsible to care for and protect those whom God has entrusted to my care. A leader is only called to shepherd those entrusted to his care, those who are among you.

When I read that, it felt as if a weight had been removed from my shoulders. I am not called to shepherd the world, no one is. I am called to shepherd those around me. My family, my brothers, those God has given me to disciple, those are the members of the flock of God around me. God will call others to shepherd other members of His flock.

The weight of the world is not on your shoulders. You are not responsible to shepherd the entire flock of God, just those who have been entrusted to your care. A leader focuses on the sheep he has been given.


Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11

TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!