Stick and Stay

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep. - John 10:13

Leaders need to be steadfast, a statement that may seem a little disingenuous coming from a man whose last two pastoral tenures were an average of 2.75 years. Even so, before God, I do not believe I ever ran away from difficulty, but instead pursued what I believed to be God's direction for my service. Even so, make no mistake, leaders need to stick and stay, and both sheep and shepherd have a responsibility to make it happen.

Jesus said that in spite of the dangers and difficulties, the good shepherd guides and protects the sheep. On the other hand, the "hired man," the man who serves for monetary reward, flees at the first sign of trouble. If the flock treats the shepherd like a "hireling," then he may behave like one and if the shepherd acts like a "hireling," then the flock may respond with fear and uncertainty.

A proper relationship between shepherd and sheep is a shared responsibility often enhanced by time served. It is always better to stick and stay.

Storms make the oak grow deeper roots. - George Herbert