AN UNLIKELY
CANDIDATE?
Of all people seemingly unlikely to be a real shepherd, Jacob
would come high on any list. A basic requirement of all shepherds
is that they set the needs and welfare of their sheep above their
own. The shepherds at Bethlehem saw things that way. They were
'abiding in the field', a long-term commitment, 'keeping watch
over their flock by night', the potentially most dangerous time;
see Luke 2. 8. Jacob, in his earlier days, showed exactly opposite
tendencies. Jacob means 'supplanter' and he certainly lived up to
it, taking all steps necessary to promote his own interests. It
might be argued that the deceiving of his father was initiated by
his own mother, Gen. 27. 6-17, but that is not a valid excuse.
Later in Israel's history, Asa had problems with his mother's
activities and he responded swiftly and decisively, 1 Kgs. 15. 13.
So pressures, even from close and personal sources, need to be
faced up to and dealt with if a man is to have a true shepherd's
heart.
But if Jacob had no excuse for the deceitful way he acted towards
Isaac, and for which Esau castigated him, Gen. 27. 36, it is the
latter on whom the Scriptures put the blame saying that 'Esau
despised his birthright'. He obviously set little value on God's
promises to both his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham.
Jacob, on the other hand, apparently clearly understood the
benefits accruing to the first-born as worth striving after. That
does show him in a somewhat better light, enabling him to be
included in the list of those 'having a good report through
faith', Heb.11. 21-39.
But even that improved view of Jacob hardly amounts to a ringing
endorsement of him. So, what lessons, if any, can be learned from
him about shepherding?
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE?
On more than one occasion he had very real experiences of God's
presence. On the first, he was so moved that he entered into a
personal commitment to his God, even if this had limitations; see
Gen. 28. 20-22. The second occasion was infinitely more profound,
occurring just when it seemed that his past was about to catch up
with him. Before the feared meeting with Esau took place he was
confronted by God and as a result, his name was changed from
Jacob, ‘the supplanter’, to Israel, ‘a prince with God’, Gen. 32.
24-30.
So we see that even the most unlikely characters can be changed
and anyone aspiring to shepherd God's people may hold back because
of past shortcomings, but can be encouraged that a radical change
is possible for them too. When Paul wrote to Timothy about elders,
those responsible for shepherding the church of God, he details
not what they must have been in the past, for that would exclude
everyone, but what they must be now; see 1 Tim. 3. 1- 7; Titus 3.
3.
A MATTER OF WHAT?
The requirements are certainly onerous and it can be understood
why those most fitted are often the most concerned about their
capability and calling. Paul spoke of himself as being 'not meet
to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God'.
Now that surely excluded him from exercising pastoral care didn't
it? But no, he continues, 'But by the grace of God I am what I
am', 1 Cor. 15. 9-10. Jacob, from his experiences at Bethel and
Peniel, gained at least some perception of God's purposes and
wanted to be part of them. This is what is looked for from pastors
today. Put simply it is an appreciation of just what God's people
mean to Him and what He has been prepared to do to make them His
own, Titus 2. 13-14.
But a right attitude of heart towards the flock is essential too.
Paul says of his gentle handling of the somewhat fractious
Corinthians, 'Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but
are helpers of your joy', 2 Cor. 2. 24. He later said to them
that, 'we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord', and we
ask, 'But where do you fit in then Paul?' He says, ourselves your
servants for Jesus' sake', 2 Cor. 4. 5. Shepherding, then, whilst
indeed it is being a servant of the Lord is, in practical terms,
being a servant of His people for His sake, i.e., with His
interests fully in mind.
ANY AGE CONCERN?
We are given little detail of Jacob's early life. He is spoken of
as 'a plain man, dwelling in tents', Gen. 25. 27; but as the word
translated here as 'plain' is elsewhere given as 'upright', (see
Prov. 29. 10), it must be assumed that his life was, outwardly at
least, largely beyond reproach. As far as 'dwelling in tents' is
concerned, that was very much a family trait, so his was a fairly
normal existence in his own environment. We get hints though that
at some stage he must have picked up the rudiments of shepherding.
On his arrival at Haran, he quickly realized that the assembled
flocks were not being properly attended to, so he watered Rachel's
sheep himself. It took the awareness of a need that was not being
met by others to spark off the putting into practice of what he
had learned.
Men do not become shepherds in their local churches at some
pre-ordained age or time cycle. Timothy was warned, 'Lay hands
suddenly on no man', 1 Tim. 5. 22; and some have suffered bitter
experiences when succumbing to outside pressures to 'go on the
oversight' when in fact showing little evidence of the necessary
spiritual qualifications. Such a situation may not only be
disastrous to the individual, but, even more importantly, to the
local church concerned.
AN EASY RIDE?
Jacob, however, did not find that being a shepherd, even though
working for his uncle, was a bed of roses. Apart from an
intolerable wage system, of which he complained bitterly to Laban,
his working conditions were near unbearable too. 'Thus I was; in
the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my
sleep departed from mine eyes', Gen. 31. 40-1. No, shepherding was
not then, nor is it today among believers, likely to seem an
outwardly rewarding task. Peter wanted elders to appreciate that.
He not only urged them to 'feed the flock of God' but to accept
the responsibility willingly, 'not for filthy lucre, but of a
ready mind’, 1 Pet. 5. 2.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
Does that mean that there is no recompense at all for such work
well done? No, it just means that you have to look for tokens of
appreciation from the right source, for, 'when the chief Shepherd
shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not
away', 1 Pet. 5. 4, and that is infinitely more precious than even
the most sincere, let alone the sometimes empty, praise of men.
That crown though is not promised to all those who are merely
nominal overseeing pastors. As Paul says of crowns generally, and
there are a number referred to in Scripture, 'If a man also strive
for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully',
2 Tim. 2. 5. Requirements as set out in, for example, 1 Timothy 3.
1-7 and Titus 1. 6-9, need to be met in spirit and in practice,
not just in the letter. And this is before anyone can be
recognized as being a true shepherding elder. So you would be wise
not to aspire after the work without first making sure that you
know what it actually entails. But if, after such consideration
you still feel an exercise, be encouraged by the assurance that
what you are willing to commit yourself to is 'a good work'.
But if Jacob's work with the sheep was so unremittingly hard and
offered so little tangible reward, he must have had some pretty
good sheep to make things worthwhile. Not at all! The sheep that
he had been given in lieu of wages were, all the speckled and
spotted . . . and all the brown lambs, Gen. 30. 32. In the same
vein, although God said to Paul about Corinth that 'I have much
people in this city', the apostle reminds believers there later
that 'not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble, are called'. What sorts of people were called then? 'God
hath chosen the foolish things . . . the weak things . . . base
things . . . things which are despised'. But why choose people
like that? So that no one could say that they got there by their
own merits or efforts, 'That no flesh should glory in his
presence', 1 Cor. 1. 26-29.
The good Shepherd said of Himself that 'I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance', Mark 2. 17; and it was of
such repentant sinners that He was speaking when He commissioned
Peter to 'feed my lambs . . . feed my sheep', John 21. 15-17.
Believers are no different today, coming from a whole range of
backgrounds and, just like sheep, still prone to wander. That is
precisely why it was necessary that shepherding elders, and please
note the plurality, be appointed in every city, see Titus 1. 5,
and why they must be willing to 'bear (bear with) the infirmities
of the weak', Rom 15. 1. That is why the qualities required of a
spiritual shepherd are set so high.
LEARNING ON THE JOB?
It is essential to grasp the fact that even with such sheep, Jacob
was still able, by the time he met up with Esau some seven years
later, to have built up a large enough flock to offer his brother
'two hundred ewes, and twenty rams', Gen. 32. 14. He also had
remaining enough livestock to make it necessary for him when he
later reached Succoth, to have 'made booths for his cattle', Gen.
33. 17.
So Jacob continued to care well for his sheep even in unpromising
circumstances. When Esau urged a faster speed for the united
groups, Jacob countered by emphasizing that 'the flocks and herds
with young are with me: and if men shall overdrive them one day,
all the flock will die'. The pace needed to be 'according as the
cattle that goeth before me and the children are able to endure',
Gen. 33. 13-14. True shepherds will always be aware of the
diversity of need represented by those under their care. We are
sometimes told that just as sheep and lambs feed together in the
same pasture, so in local churches, old and young, both in years
and spiritual development, should be fed together on the word of
God. That has much to recommend it, but those responsible for such
spiritual feeding must appreciate that food must be made available
which is suitable and appropriate for the needs of all levels
present. The writer to the Hebrews sets us a good example in this
context. Whilst acknowledging that, 'ye ought to be teachers', he
accepts that some at least of his readers, 'are become such as
have need of milk, and not of strong meat', Heb. 5. 12.
THE END IS SURE!
So, although the journey was long and arduous, Jacob saw to the
wellbeing of his flock all the way home to Bethel, the house of
God, Gen. 28. 17, 19. Shepherding of believers today requires not
only such evident abilities as being, 'apt to teach', but also
patience and perseverance. Be encouraged by what we might learn
from the experiences of such as Jacob. At one time he seemed to be
totally unsuited to shepherding work, but his life was changed and
moulded by successive meetings with God. To these, most
importantly, he responded with a tenacious devotion. All of that
may seem a long while ago and a long way away, but remember the
old chorus which many since Jacob's time have proved to be true;
'What He's done for others, He'll do for you'. God's flock still
needs true shepherds!
DENNIS PARRACK is a regular contributor to Precious Seed and to
other U.K. assembly magazines. After spending most of his working
life in Cambridge he did two masters’ degrees, one researching
Müller‘s Homes of Bristol. He is in fellowship with the assembly
at Bognor Regis, West Sussex.
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