The Image of a Shepherd

The Bible is full of powerful imagery. It’s one of the beautiful things about the Word of God and a constant reminder that God is creative. The Creator, to be more precise.

Among this imagery are shepherds and sheep. It depicts Jesus as a watcher, a leader, a savior, a caregiver, and a comforter, charging us to lead in the same way. And it helps us understand our ability to follow as disciples. Well, that and our tendency to wander.

Isaiah 40 prophecies about this gentle, caring nature of God. It is a contrast to the surrounding descriptions of his strength and power.

He is eternal, He is coming with might, He will rule with his arm. He measures the waters in the hollow of his hand.

Let’s stop and think about the waters in his hands. A backyard swimming pool can swallow us whole, but it’s an eyelash compared to a lake, to a river, to a sea, to an ocean. Our Creator is described as holding the waters—collective waters—in the palm of his hand. That’s unfathomably strong and vast.

Yet, in the middle of these reflections on God’s enormity, Isaiah lays down a couple of verses describing how personal he is and his closeness.

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and will gently lead those that are with young.

Strahan, a poet and songwriter, sums this contrast up well, “I’m learning to discover you, in the minute and ordinary, God. Your kingdom is as miniature as it is vast.”

I could wonder and write about that for a long while. Today, though, I want to pinpoint one thing.

As leaders, we should tattoo this verse from Isaiah over our hearts.

He will gather them in his arms; he will carry them.

Shepherding is both big and small. There are times as a leader when our presence can be felt in a room. There are times as leaders when our words carry a lot of weight. There are times as leaders when we have to direct and redirect with a vision in mind. But there is never a time when it’s okay to shepherd without the love of Christ. Never. His love is the necessary impetus of our motion. His love is what teaches us how to shepherd.

In all the bigness that comes with being a leader, it’s often the smaller personal acts of shepherding that are most impactful and remembered. If I wrote out a description of my favorite leaders and why I trust them, it would mainly be conversations. The hard conversation they were willing to have with me. The quiet, genuine conversations they were willing to share with me. The conversations that picked me up and helped me over rocky, tricky seasons. These small, close acts of shepherding are treasures of mine.

Again, shepherding is both big and small. Our leadership, our vision should always branch from the same authority Jesus demonstrated — watch, care, direct, carry, gather, gently lead, shepherd.