We Are All Leaders

As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal.  And though you were my shepherds, you didn't search for my sheep when they were lost.  You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve.  

Ezekiel 34:8

As this scripture may be directed towards Israel's leaders who during this time were found to be taking care of themselves rather than taking care of their people, I believe it can be also directed towards Christians today.  God was more than just a little disappointed when He ordered that Ezekiel prophesy against the shepherds or leaders of Israel.  He was angry with them!  They were given a duty, a responsibility to care for the people in their city but instead they did everything they could to make sure they were eating well and enjoying life to its fullest.  Their leadership was fully void of leading.  Instead they were allowing their people to scatter, fall into sin, and starve.  The people were sick and injured with no-one to care for them and instead of helping, those in charge were more concerned about themselves.  While the city was falling its leaders were thriving.  What really haunts me, when reading this chapter in Eekiel, is what's found in verse 6.....They (the people, the sheep) have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.  

You may have figured out where I am going with this..................

Even though we are not leaders of a city, a church, or a big name company, as Christians, we are all leaders.  For those of us who love Jesus and call Him our savior, we are called to feed His sheep (John 21:17)  God asks us to share The Good News with the world (Mark 16:15), like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden we are to shine our good deeds for all to see, so that everyone will praise God (Matthew 5:16).  The definition of a deed is an action that is performed intentionally or consciously.  Our good deeds have everything to do with caring for His sheep!  Doing something intentionally for someone else.  We can't always be working on our lives and our good fortune and forget about those around us who are in need.  And for sure we can't just continue to let the sheep wander while we work on our own thing.  

My heart breaks for those who are lost, either by choice or because they don't know any better and most often the two go hand in hand.  I hurt when I see others' sinning or living in a way that doesn't follow God but instead of letting them continue down that path I should be loving them intentionally and reaching out to them with kindness.  My "good deeds" should be directed towards these lost in attempt to lead them home.  I agree, sometimes the lost are so far gone it's not safe to get that close but there is no reason we can't pray for them and love them from where we are.  Sometimes the only thing we can do is pray but at least we aren't leaving them to roam with no help whatsoever.  Our prayers, lifting up a lost sheep, may be the only thing keeping someone from wandering too far beyond the point of return.  And what about those sheep who are lost and who have been lost for a while, should we just let them stay that way or should we search for them?  Reaching out to a lost sheep every once in a while is all God asks us to do but we often get so caught up in our own life that we leave them to stay lost for ever.

Think of the lost sheep in your life today.  What can you do to avoid resembling these leaders of Israel?  How can you lead God's sheep and search for those who are lost?  We may not be able to bring them all home but failing at trying is way better than failing to try.  Let's encourage each other to love and care for all humanity and do less for ourselves and little more for others.  God will find His sheep regardless of whether we obey, but our love for God is proved through our love for others.........so let's get loving!!    

I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again.  I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak.  But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful.  I will feed them, yes - feed them justice!

Ezekiel 34:16