The shepherd lays down his life

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John 10:11-18 KJV
[11] I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
[12] But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
[13] The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
[14] I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep , and am known of mine.
[15] As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
[16] And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
[17] Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
[18] No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

I once heard of a story of a young man diagnosed of kidney failure. He was on dialysis for some period but his condition deteriorated and the only way was to do kidney transplant. A donor was sought to donate kidney but who is ready to give out his or her kidney. The man’s families were willing to pay any donor that the doctors could get but they would not want any member of the family to donate his or her kidney.

That is the reality of life; nobody is ready to die for the other. Not even relatives.

This reality of life should make us appreciate Jesus for giving up His life as a sacrifice for us. Jesus’ act of laying down His life to save us from eternal death is His seal of ownership over us. This means He is our shepherd and He has assigned the church to take up this ministry of shepherding.

Shepherding is the act of tending, leading, guarding, and guiding the flock of God, which is the church that Jesus Christ has bought with His precious blood. Everyone of us are leaders in different capacity and we have been called to be shepherd over those who He has placed in our care. We should be able to sacrifice many things for them.

The Chief Shepherd, who is Jesus Christ, laid down His life for mankind. So also, we should be able to show sympathy and empathy to people under our care, we should be able to care for them at different levels, knowing what they are going through and we should share in their feelings. The love Jesus showed us is agape love and we are required as leaders at different levels to do the same.

We as Christians are to emulate Jesus Christ who is the Chief Shepherd. God is depending on us to be a good shepherd. We should go and tend the people God has placed around us as God desires.
I pray God will help us all to emulate Him as a good shepherd.