While Shepherds watch their Flocks

[Ken Schemmer]

Watching is sometimes difficult. I had an employee that was struggling. She was doing her job but you could see that joy was not filling her. She was struggling with depression and thought that she would snap out of it any day. When I talked to her about it she did not want to deal with it at first. She did not see any other options. I took some time to walk with her down this hard road. This helped her to see other possibilities that she had. Even though she still struggles I can see that she was blessed to have someone come alongside of her.

[Albert Downing]

While Shepherds Watch their Flocks was intriguing and revealing. The phrase on page 117, "Shepherds sometimes stand at a distance to see the "big picture." It is a phrase we use a lot in the military, you got to stand back and see the "big picture." As a Brigade Chaplain I have six chaplains that I supervise and they serve as Battalion Chaplains. So, often they're focused on only their battalion (as they should) until they forget to see the bigger picture. They'll come to me and say, I don't understand this or that, plus my Battalion Commander wants this or that. I look at them and say, okay, but are you looking at what will be involved, the cost, the risk etc are you looking at the big picture? Are you looking at things from my view?

Therefore, I tell them as a Brigade Chaplain I have to look and think two levels above my position. I have to see things from the Division and Corp Chaplains perpective. They have learned to stand back and think things through and see the "bigger picture." By doing this they have become better chaplains to their battaion, soldiers and Brigade as well as the Division. They are the (episkopos) Bishop and overseer for the spiritual welfare of their battalions. They have to have advise the command on the moral,ethics and spiritual welfare of the battalion. They have to know what is going on with their "flock".
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A. L. Downing