Being a shepherd of the whole flock

[RonJulian]

The two thoughts in today's reading "think flock" and "we are shepherds" were good reminders for me in my role as a team leader of 11 other missionaries and in my role as missionary working with national church leaders.

I too tend to look at individual sheep whether it is a missionary I'm working with or a national church leader. But ultimately the health of the flock is important. And yesterday's reading reminded us that for healthy reproduction in a flock, there needs to be health.

As a shepherd, I must each day be with my sheep, but I must have the perspective that my care of individual sheep or small groups of sheep is for the health of the whole flock.

Wanting to see the church in Congo have healthy reproduction, bringing those lost in Congo to Christ and also going to the lost of other parts of the continent, requires of me that I not forget I am a shepherd for a flock. How do we as a missionary team use the gifts, resources that God has given to us to help the "flock" in Congo be healthy and reproducing? What does being out with the sheep mean for us? How do we take what we are seeing, learning, and doing with the sheep to help the whole flock?

Lord, help me be a good shepherd to the whole flock. Amen.