Shepherds

“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly…”

1 Peter 5:2

“Shepherd the flock of God willingly, not under compulsion, but as God would have you. The pastor who serves only for pay or position is a hireling; the true shepherd feeds the sheep because he loves the Chief Shepherd and loves the sheep for His sake. Eagerness is the mark of genuine ministry serve with joy, not grudgingly, for the reward is the Chief Shepherd Himself.” Charles Spurgeon

Ministry is an overflow. When our eyes stay fixed on Jesus, we want to pour out salary or no salary. That’s the mark of a real shepherd.

There’s a guy in our town who’s one of the best shepherds I know. He’s a business owner, gets nothing financially for it, but he pours into the men in our city willingly and eagerly. You can see the joy in his heart. Jesus changed him, and now God uses him right here.

It’s easy to slip into going through the motions and lose that first love. That’s why remembering what God has done in our lives matters so much.

You don’t have to be a pastor or in full-time ministry to shepherd people. Get filled up with Jesus, then use your workplace to care for the people around you willingly, eagerly, with oversight that comes from love.

Go shepherd whatever flock God puts in front of you today.

Have a great day serving the Chief Shepherd!