For most of my adult life, and all of my professional life, I’ve had the privilege of pastoring people. With it comes the good and the bad – the pretty and the ugly – the fulfilling and the frustrating. There’s something I’ve observed lately – and that’s the compelling of the pastor’s heart. At the very root of pastoring is the idea of shepherding a flock – a group of people that God has assigned to you. They could be a small group or Sunday School class, a youth group or children’s ministry, or a church.
I find that when all of the “sheep” are OK and are home in the “pasture” you tend to not be overly concerned with any of them. All is well. But when one or more leave the fold – either because of rebellion against God, hurt, or apathy – you can’t get them off of your mind! It’s overwhelming! For a long time – I didn’t really understand this – and it drove me crazy!
Right now in my ministry I can think of several – some who have just gotten “too busy for God”, others who are hurt, and some who are running. They cross my mind many times a day. I pray – sometimes worry – play over and over in my mind what I could have done differently to prevent this or what I can do now. They’re my sheep and I’m their shepherd – I feel responsible.
These are signs of a good shepherd – much like the those of the Great Shepherd in Matthew 18:
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18;12-14
Keep pastoring shepherds – it’s a call of God. Go after those sheep – it’s your job! Pray – call – write – go! And sheep… quit wondering off – you’re making a lot of work for us and driving us crazy!! 
