SHEPHERDS LEAD ON RIGHT PATHS
THROUGH THE VALLEY
Psalm 23:3-4
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your
staff, they comfort me.
Shepherding
people is more like shepherding cats. People value independence above
everything else. Yet, no one wants to end they’re life like the man who spent
his whole life trying to climb the ladder of success, only to find that it was
leaning against the wrong wall. It is almost never sufficient simply to
announce the path to everyone one time. No, in a seemingly never-ending
pattern, you have to keep sharing the path over and over… you must lead a few
sheep up the trail, and then you have to go back and gather up some more. One
frequent lament of leaders is that they feel like they are saying the same
things over and over… And the truth is, they probably are. You feel the energy
drain out of you every time you must go back down to the valley, share the
message, and lead another group up the mountain. There are times when you feel
you absolutely cannot make that voyage even one more time. But leading folks
along the right paths is highly personal business, and there is no substitute
for the shepherd leader making many trips from the mountain to the valley and
back again. It is, in many ways, the most difficult element of leadership.
Failure is a better teacher than
success. Therefore, we better not rush through the valley’s troubles. While in
the valley, we tend to put on blinders in order to focus on the way out at the
distant end, ignoring circumstances and people in order not to be pained. We
should throw away the blinders and become aware of our surroundings. Look for insights
to the darkness in the valley. Be honest with others about your thoughts,
hopes, frustrations and other valley experiences. Talk to others about these
things. Invite others who may not be in the valley with you to come along side
to walk with you. Talk with others that are in the valley with you. Through all
the difficulties of valley living, find ways to develop and maintain optimism
and hope. Be proactive in tackling the struggles and activities required to get
through.
Shepherd Leadership: Wisdom For Leaders From Psalm
23 by Blaine McCormick & David Davenport, pgs.35-40.
