Sheepdogs!

This morning I was studying a beautiful photo in a devotional book that sparked some random thoughts about sheepdogs.  If you are up for random thoughts read on!

The photograph was of an alpine flock in a paddock close to the chalet and surrounding sheds.   Drenched in the glorious glow of the setting sun the sheep graze quietly, minding their own business. Two sheepdogs on the outskirts of the flock look towards the camera, watching the intruder, it's definitely not the farmer for he can be seen in the background.  This is a professional photographer (judging by the quality of the photo), and the dogs are on the alert.  It got me thinking about sheepdogs.

I am in no way qualified to write about sheepdogs and so am open to correction.  My knowledge of same is drawn only from watching sheepdogs at work on a sheep station around Lake Wakatipu and also on our wonderful TV programme called Country Calendar.  Not comprehensive for sure but what I have concluded is that sheepdogs are wonderful and clever creatures, obedient and loyal to their masters with ears tuned to his signals, and they work well under good direction.  They move the flock in one direction, literally barking out their orders and keeping the sheep in line.  In confined spaces I have  even seen them walk across the backs of the sheep to get from one end of the run to the other.  

Now not to put too finer point on this I wanted to liken good sheepdogs to good leaders, particularly as they relate to churches and ministries.  A good leader is tuned to the Master's signal. He is ready and listening.  He knows the different signals (whistles) and understands what to do accordingly.  He is really a guardian of the flock, guiding them and guarding them, keeping them together and heading in the direction the Master wants them to go.

A good leader is loyal and obedient to his Master.  Dogs can teach us so much about loyalty.  They seem to be loyal to their masters, even the cruel ones.  However cruel masters shape the personality of a dog and in the same way self-serving and ungodly leaders shape the personality and self worth of their followers.  In Philippians 3:2 the apostle Paul likens poor leaders to dogs......."Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved."  

Leaders can also walk all over their 'flock' but this is not the way of leadership that Jesus taught.   "Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.   And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves." Luke 22:24-26.

When searching for a photo for today's post I came across the one above which made me laugh, but I need to talk about it.  Sometimes our leaders are like this poor sheepdog.....buried in the mob and at the mercy of their congregation.  Just as leaders should not walk all over their people, the people should not overwhelm the leader and walk all over him.  Leaders are called leaders because they are meant to lead.  Let's give them space to spend time hearing from God so they can lead well. Also let's be thankful, supportive and encouraging of our good leaders, forgiving when they make mistakes, praying for them always.  Be alert for the 'not so good' leaders and don't fall into their trap.  

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank you that you give us clear guidelines in your Word about what a good leader should look like.  Help me to be discerning and prayerful in this regard to ensure that I align myself with leaders who are obedient to you.  Amen

Good Leadership.... & Bad

Photo: Grant Stirling

Five days ago a fire sprang up in Pigeon Valley, a heavily forested area about 25 minutes south of us.  It is thought that it was one of those coincidences, the nasty kind, that the fire may have been sparked by heavy farm machinery.  As we have watched and waited I have been so impressed by the leadership of the Tasman region; mayor, civil defence, fire department, volunteers and now the Defence Force.  All have worked selflessly and tirelessly for the good of others.  We have had 22 helicopters and 2 fixed wing aircraft battling the fire and then yesterday another fire quickly took hold close to the city and many more homes.  Quick action and diversion of these precious resources brought this under control.

As I write, there are a number of families in evacuation centres wondering when they will be allowed to return home.  Fortunately many homes have been miraculously saved.  There is no rain on the forecast but we are praying that God will graciously send some unexpected rain on our drought stricken area.

Meantime high in overseas news is the plight of Venezuela. Inflation at a million %.  We can't even begin to imagine it. The people hungry, the hospitals lacking medicines. people desperate. A convoy of aid has arrived at the border and President  Maduro is refusing to allow aid in because he is deluded, and determined to hold onto leadership in the face of opposition. He certainly doesn't look underfed and is no doubt keeping his cronies in the military well looked after so that they support his stance. He certainly would not seem to have the good of the people on his mind.

In my Bible reading I have been following the journey of the children of Israel and Moses' leadership of this grumbling and faithless bunch.  God had given them great and amazing signs of his presence with them, great promises that he would not fail them yet they preferred to look back (through unrealistic eyes) at how good it had been in Egypt.  Moses was a reluctant leader, yet this is what God had prepared him for throughout his life.  Moses thought God was making a mistake because he wasn't great at public speaking, so God said "Okay, I'll send your older brother Aaron with you to be your spokesperson BUT, I will tell YOU what he is to say. Aaron was not given the leadership.  As I read today in Exodus 31 and 32 I saw why.

God had called Moses aside to give him further instructions, his faithful off-sider Joshua went up the mountain with him.  When they were gone many days Aaron's leadership was tested and he failed.  The people came asking for leadership.  "We don't know what's happened to Moses.  You make us gods to lead us on." Aaron was quick to oblige, taking their gold jewellery and fashioning a golden calf for them to worship.  This was the man appointed by God to be priest of the Most High God!  How could he so quickly turn away?  His actions caused God's anger to be stirred, people to die and Aaron to lie when questioned by an angry Moses.  

Moses was a good leader.  Yes, he was angry and he threw down the precious tablets of the law that God had written with his own hand.  But Moses not only confronted the situation but he prayed for God's mercy on the people (Exodus 32:11-14) and God changed his mind about destroying the people entirely.  God had offered to make a whole new nation from Moses' line.  A proud and selfish leader would have jumped at the chance but Moses had a heart for his people.

The Bible encourages us to pray for our leaders and those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2). "Pray for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."  In this way we can influence the kind of leadership we have.

Prayer: Father God, thank you that we can live in peace and security under leaders that care.  We pray that we will continue to have leaders who will govern and lead in ways that allow us to continue to worship freely and spread the good news of your love.   Amen