Feed My Sheep - 02
You have to be a Sheep to Shepherd Sheep
If the elder’s first commitment is NOT to love God and obey Him, then how is he supposed to help others do it?
The toddler and the grandmother are sheep as well as the elder. And all sheep belong to God. The church’s hope is that God raises elders who have lived a long life loving Him, and as a result they can help the other sheep grow to maturity.
When elders love God first and love Him deeply, then they also have learned to love His Church. Not in principle, only, but a Church of real and particular people, imperfect ones.
I knew a man who mistreated the people of his congregation by leaving the Church. He left disgusted, mainly, over a disagreement of a sermon that had been preached. So he left his friends. At least they thought they were his friends. The elders counseled him saying, “You cannot discard the Church by leaving us this way. It is unloving.”
His response was that he had not left the church, but loves the church - the universal church. I suppose that was true, for it is much easier to love a concept than to love actual people. He was justifying his actions.
The point is: a good elder will love the church made up of real, imperfect people. And it is because the elder has learned to love God through life. And so he knows that God cherishes His Church and wants His office bearers to cherish her too. A church with real sheep, not conceptual sheep.
After the Lord was raised from the dead, He appeared to his disciples. John records a conversation that took place.
15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.1
One who holds the office of an elder in the Church is charged with shepherding sheep. Jesus told Peter that love for Him will require Peter to feed those sheep.
To be an effective shepherd means that you have first become a healthy sheep. And healthy sheep are God lovers. As such, you have to know what caused you to grow in your love for God, so that you know how to help the other sheep. What will you feed them? What do they need to be nourished?
As a shepherd, you need to know how to prepare sheep food.
Analogously, I think of a master chef. It takes him years of culinary school and experience with food preparation in restaurant after restaurant. Good meals. Bad meals. He must learn recipes, cooking temperatures, spices, sauces, cook times, and plate presentation.
Similarly, an elder needs many years in the faith. He must learn to love God and grow in it over a span of life. Good times. Hard times. To be prepared as an elder, he should’ve learned how to obey in the big things and then the smaller things. He will have gained knowledge of Scripture’s nuances through his own study. He will have walked with God through some trials. His contentment will have been gained from knowing God’s steadfast love and kindness. He will have portions of joy. He will love the Church and its people. This elder has something to offer the sheep.
John 21:15-17