“When He has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them.” John 10:4
God always goes before me. He encounters everything ahead of me first, before it ever touches me. All my tomorrows will have to pass through Him before they ever come to me.
Darkness. There’s more night yet. He is ahead.
Dangers. Dread of what life holds. He is ahead.
Doubts. Life’s best seems gone. He is ahead.
Nothing holds me. Except His Word. He stays ahead of me.
Consolation. My heart believes.He is still there ahead of me.
And all is well.
When I was a teacher, it was my habit to always take my class down the aisles of our school with me leading the way and my class following me. I always believed that I needed to model the correct way in front of their eyes. I didn’t expect them to lead the way. They were children.
For a few years, we had an administrator that looked down on those of us who walked in front of our class instead of walking behind them. Her theory was that we had no way of knowing what was going on behind us and that by staying behind them, we could watch them better. It was kind of like being prison guards where we could reprove poor actions to take care of them.
I actually tried it several times and it never felt right to me. I was their shepherd, but I didn’t want to be their dictator. I modeled the correct way. I showed them that I expected good behavior and I trusted them to follow me. They always knew what I expected of them.
Even though I didn’t have any eyes in the back of my head, I usually knew most of what went on behind me. The truth eventually comes out. In an instant I could turn around and all eyes were upon me. They didn’t need to move. They didn’t need to change direction. They didn’t even need to move their heads. Their eyes immediately saw me and they could take directions from me.
This is what a good shepherd does. He leads and the sheep follow. They don’t have to figure out what to do. They don’t have to decide which way to go. They don’t get lost when they follow the shepherd. They go where he leads them. They go where he goes.
With our shepherd, we don’t ever have to fear evil. There is nothing that surprises Him or intimidates Him. He knows what needs to be done. He will lead us, even through the valley of death.
Our schools need more shepherds to lead students down the good paths of righteousness. Our churches need more shepherds to lead their congregations down the narrow path of holiness, instead of the wide path of secular progressivism.
Our families need fathers and mothers who will shepherd their children in learning why God’s Word is truth we all can live by. My heart’s desire is to be a good and faithful shepherd to all those who are following me. I want to point them to Jesus Christ and the truths found in God’s Word.
I am so grateful for all of the wonderful shepherds that I have had the privilege to follow throughout my lifetime. I thank God for each shepherd that he placed in my life at just the right time to influence my choices in life, and to help establish my values and priorities on Biblical truths.
Just off the top of my head, here’s my sincere thank you to some of the people who were truly my shepherds when I was growing up! They helped me form the foundations of my faith in God that have kept me grounded for this life: My mama, my sister, my Grandma and Grandpa Englund, my Aunt Mary Lou and Uncle Lester, Moody and Juanita, Winnie and Ike, Bro McCollough, Bro and Sis Thompson, Bro and Sis Trussel, Bro and Sis Reasoner, Maggie Lee, Arnold Lee and Connie, Roberta Peck, Bro and Sis Judy, Bro and Sis Page! And I know there’s more! THANK YOU TO ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW IN HEAVEN!!
There were so many good shepherds in my life. Mom, Dad, Maxine, Grandpa and Grandma, Uncle Lester and Aunt Mary Lu, Ministers Reasoner, andThompson, Teachers Reynolds, Peck, McCollough, and Page, Moody and Juanita, Carl and Winnie, Maggie Lee, Elmer and Ella, Marvin and Sherry and the list really would go on and on. I know there are others that I’ve forgotten right at this moment in time. Those were just some of the first ones that I think about who helped shepherd me during my first 18 years. I thank God for letting them be shepherds in my life!
