WHERE ARE THE SHEPHERD LEADERS?

Ezekiel 34: 1-10 [The Message]

God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherd-leaders of Israel. Yes, prophesy! Tell those shepherds, ‘God, the Master, says: Doom to you shepherds of Israel, feeding your own mouths! Aren’t shepherds supposed to feed sheep? You drink the milk, you make clothes from the wool, you roast the lambs, but you don’t feed the sheep. You don’t build up the weak ones, don’t heal the sick, don’t doctor the injured, don’t go after the strays, don’t look for the lost. You bully and badger them. And now they’re scattered every which way because there was no shepherd—scattered and easy pickings for wolves and coyotes. Scattered—my sheep!—exposed and vulnerable across mountains and hills. My sheep scattered all over the world, and no one out looking for them!

^7-9 “‘Therefore, shepherds, listen to the Message of God: As sure as I am the living God—Decree of God, the Master—because my sheep have been turned into mere prey, into easy meals for wolves because you shepherds ignored them and only fed yourselves, listen to what God has to say:

¹⁰ “‘Watch out! I’m coming down on the shepherds and taking my sheep back. They’re fired as shepherds of my sheep. No more shepherds who just feed themselves! I’ll rescue my sheep from their greed. They’re not going to feed off my sheep any longer!

What a powerful and terrifying message! Prophet Ezekiel records God’s righteous indignation poured out against the false shepherds of Israel, very strong words of rebuke and anger against the misdeeds of leaders who were appointed to lead, serve and take care of the sheep entrusted to them. A very sad state of affairs where the very shepherds who are entrusted with the flock is ravenously feeding on them to satiate their own greed and selfish ends. If this was the scenario played out during prophet Ezekiel’s time, things are no different today, in fact it is even worse, it has almost reached its nadir.

If one takes the liberty of paraphrasing prophet Ezekiel’s words for the present day scenario to a large extent in Christian leadership, it might probably sound like this; “doom to you leaders of churches and missions, feeding your own stomachs, aren’t you supposed to take care of your sheep? But instead you travel in luxury class around the world to attend meetings and conference’s that does not affect any lives or my kingdom, you stay in five star hotels, eat sumptuous five course meals, buy vehicles, lands and properties for yourself, build your own mansions and farm houses, solely bothered about the expansion of yourself and your family, you enjoy extravagant holidays with your kith and kin in exotic locations and all this from the money raised for my mission, shamelessly using my resources for your wanton greed and pampering every whims and fancies of your obnoxious pride; and on top of it all you have the audacious guts to justify all this as my abundant blessings on you the leader”.

“All the while my sheep slogs to bring you results and  excitements from remote places for you to display as trophies around the world, the blood and sweat of their toil, while living in abject penury and struggling to make both ends meet. They are called to make large sacrifices and brainwashed to have even greater commitment for my sake while you continue to live totally immune to that call. You so called Shepherds, you drink their milk and prey on their meat and without an iota of shame live lavishly, with the least accountability to anyone and make your pathetic living out of their hard work, forgetting that you do not even have an existence without them.  

                                                             

                             

 “You don’t take care of my sheep, you have developed an air of superiority; considering yourself as someone different and special from my flock which I have never intended or decreed, sort of living in unapproachable light which let me remind you is solely my prerogative, you have created a league of your own like the horrible “sons of Eli” who gobble on the choicest morsels and mix only with those kind, you seem to condescend from your lofty place to your own sheep as if doing them a favour. You do not feed my sheep, you do not heal their hurts, sadly you do not even know where it hurts for them, you do not have time to talk to them or listen to their problems and concerns, or even if you have time you seem to be preoccupied with your digital gadgets, status updates and funny hobbies”

“The very intention of appointing you as shepherd was to ‘serve my sheep’ and lead them to green pastures and still waters but instead you seem to be using them to serve you and your selfish interests, they are asked to wait upon you and take care of your needs, you bully and badger them and lord it over them, trying to control every aspect of their lives. You put heavy burdens on them which you yourself will never dare or wish to carry, you push them like slave masters to accomplish your selfish ends. You have gone too far away from the model that I the chief shepherd had set for you as the Good Shepherd”

I think the warning in Eze 34:7-10 holds good for all of us who are shepherds today, to Watch out! He is coming down on us, His shepherds and He will take the sheep away from our hands. We will be basically fired from the job because God abhors shepherds who feed ravenously on His flock. I don’t think it will be a pleasant experience to stand before God and have that experience of being fired. It will be a terribly painful experience to go through.  

The call is clear, to be Christ-like shepherd leaders who really love and feed the sheep entrusted to us, to serve them like Him in all humility, to listen to their concerns, to heal their wounds, to pray with them and for them, to be loving and caring so that they will multiply and grow to be like our master. Let us genuinely love the sheep and look out for the stray ones and bring them back to the flock and protect them from the wolves around us. Let us be the kind of shepherd leaders that God wants us to be.