Ezekiel 34: 2 "Woe, shepherds of Israel who
have been feeding themselves! Should
not the shepherds feed the flock??"
Shepherds were ever present in Israel, were
necessary for the stability of the economy,
and were required for the sacrificial
system. Whenever shepherds took care
of their sheep, there was an abundance of
wool to sell, food to eat, and animals to be
sacrificed for worship. When shepherds
sought to only serve themselves, their
flocks were small and it affected all of
society. Shepherding was not easy work
and required extensive energy, time, and
personal discipline so that the flocks
prospered and were protected. When
shepherds sought to be "good" shepherds, it
not only provided the necessities for much
of the everyday life in Israel, but the
shepherd himself would experience a certain
amount of success, personal fulfillment, and
prosperity.
This verse doesn't only speak of shepherds
in the field but also of all those
"shepherds" in leadership of the nation:
priests and prophets and political leaders.
These shepherds were no longer serving for
others but only how they could use their
position for personal gain, influence, and
control. The selfless life of a public
servant quickly became a selfish life.
These shepherds were greedy, and they used
their position to advance their own personal
wealth. They were no longer serving
out of a sense of calling but seeking to
advance their own financial standing and
position in the community.
Is it possible that there are those in
ministry today who started out with a sense
of calling but have exchanged their service
for personal gain? Is it possible that
many public servants have promised to serve
the people and promote things that make life
better and more prosperous for their people,
and yet, now their service has become
focused on personal gain to the detriment of
those they serve? A "good" shepherd
will seek to make others better, make the
organization they serve more effective and
stable, and will leave those better off as a
result of their faithful shepherding.
These are two questions every "shepherd"
should ask. Who am I serving, and why?
How we honestly answer these will reveal
whether or not we are a good shepherd or a
greedy one!
In
Christ,
Tommy Middleton
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