A good shepherd seeks the young

For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hoofs. “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock!” Zechariah 11:16-17

That is the model of a bad shepherd…If we invert the qualities, we see a picture of the kind of good shepherd who God will use to lead His people:

2. Seek the young.

Good shepherds seek the young. It’s not just about leading your own generation, we always must be looking for ways to engage the next.

Jesus, the ultimate Good Shepherd was clear about this in his words and actions. To be truly great in His kingdom, we have to make room for little kids. In order to follow Him well, we are required to actively welcome the young ones.

This goes beyond a religious exercise of providing childcare or kids ministry. This means that you and I, if we are to reflect the heart of The Shepherd, are the kinds of people who little kids want to hang out with. And little kids can spot a fake a mile away; they know whether an adult really likes them, or not.

Seeking the young includes intentionally looking for ways to include them in what you are doing. One of my mentors, Pastor Ron Swor in Canby Oregon, makes it a practice to look for rising leaders among his elementary school kids. Then he and his staff go out of their way to include the kids in real responsibilities (I’ve heard of kids there helping to baptize and helping to teach a sermon).

They let them know by their words, actions, and attitude that the Kingdom of God is not just about adults. They let them know clearly that kids aren’t the church of tomorrow, but the church of today!

I think that’s good shepherding!

Tomorrow: A good shepherd heals the injured.