shepherding

No amount of words can describe what the shepherd does. A shepherd does not spend his time explaining the mastery of his art and occupation, for the most part the shepherd simply shepherds. Leading rather than debating, guiding rather than reprimanding. The life of Christ is focused on the concept of active guidance. Christ's sermons are not based on his greatness and the "good news" about who He is, they are simply directed to bettering and strengthening the flock. Pastors today seem to lose the guidance prinipal when they set about their craft; the points of their homilies focus on the reprimand and Christ-ward pointing for justification; however, Christ regarded us that we search our own hearts, but then again that is where He dwells not as these impostor shepherds would place Him in some outward existence nearly beyond the reach of our humanity. Let us return, if we are able, to an existence of coexistence; wherein, man acknowleges that our greatest gift in the flock is the other sheep, that our dealings are to be interpersonal, relational, and spiritual with each other--straight from our hearts.