AP

1 Peter 5:2-3  Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

In these words, the Apostle Peter was addressing men who had been specifically set apart with the rersponsibility of Elders in the Early Church (cf verse 1).  But his very wise and important advice applies equally to all of us as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, the ‘Chief Shepherd’, and especially those who have been entrusted with the pastoral care of others.

If there is one thing that Jesus taught very consistently and clearly, by his words as well as the example of his whole life, it is the concept and pattern of servant leadership.  A fundamental aspect of our sinful nature, which we all inherited from Adam-in-the-Garden, is our not being satisfied with just being like God, being made in his ‘image and likeness’ to ‘rule’ in the Created Order (Genesis 1:26), but in wanting to be God.  As we see the innate sinful nature of humanity playing out its part in our world today, with its devastating destructive effect on relationships and people’s personal lives, we are reminded of just how important and necessary Jesus’ teaching and Peter’s words here really are.

And sadly, all this is surprisingly true of life within the Church, just as it is in the secular world.  Those among us who might have experienced these effects first hand are only too aware of what this means!

It seems to me that I need to learn two related things from today’s verses: firstly, that I can’t just assume that because, at the age of 17 I put my trust in Jesus as my Saviour, and decided to live my whole for him as my Lord, that therefore I will be a natural servant leader; and secondly, that I must make a conscious effort to address my ‘natural’ instincts to ‘lord it over’ (as a husband, a parent, or simply a church member) anyone ‘under’ me or entrusted to my care – by the Chief Shepherd’!).  In this important exercise I find it helpful to read (often) Paul’s advice to the Christians in Philippi: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)

“So let us learn how to serve and in our lives enthrone him; each other’s needs to prefer, for it is Christ we’re serving.  This is our God, the Servant King,he calls us now to follow him, to bring our lives as a daily offering of worship to the Servant King.” (Graham Kendrick)

– Bruce Christian