Shepherds as Nurturing Leaders

[sam]

As Laniak develops the biblical theology of the imagery of the ‘Shepherd’ motif, he engages in some great exegesis of the biblical text. From Isaiah, he shows us the nurturing nature of the divine Shepherd of Israel in relation to His character as the Leader of Israel. It was interesting to learn the connection between God’s nurturing and His rule. In Isa. 4:11, God nurtures by tending his sheep, gathering them, carrying them and gently leading them but only after emphasizing God’s powerful rule in 4:10. The God who comes with might and brings reward and recompense is the God whose arm rules and who also nurtures his flock like a shepherd! As the author says “The protective shepherd towards outsiders is the providing shepherd towards his own flock”. This is very true about us pastoral leaders who not only nurture the flock that God has given us, but also lead and protect the flock esp. from false teachers. Laniak’s observation here gives us validity in the face of opposition when we are called to both steer our sheep and nurture them, in following the model of the Shepherd of Israel.