“My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold.” – Jeremiah 50:6
This has been a common lament and warning from God for over 3000 years! God’s people have often been led astray by corrupt and false shepherds. Religious and political leaders have too often led God’s people away from genuine faith and into idolatry, confusion, and sin. That remains true today.
Shepherds are important. That’s biblical. In fact, they’re a gift from God. However, one reason God has poured out His Holy Spirit on all followers of Jesus is so we can discern when a shepherd is leading us astray. One reason that every believer has the ability to understand the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit is to protect God’s people from false and corrupt shepherds.
So, where is your shepherd pointing and leading you? Our sheepfold, home, refuge, and center is, and must be, Jesus. Are your leaders pointing you toward Jesus? Are they helping you become more like Him while walking more closely with Him? That’s their fundamental task. Are they helping you act, think, and feel the way Jesus does? The Bible says that Jesus is the Great Shepherd under Whom all other shepherds work. So is Jesus the central message and teaching coming from those you follow here on earth? Or is it more about them and their influence? Or more about earthly politics and power?
If Jesus isn’t the laser-like focus of your shepherd, you’re being led astray. Compare their teaching to the Bible’s teaching, then talk to that shepherd and point out the gap between their teaching and their actual responsibility to King Jesus. Ultimately, reject shepherds who aren’t guiding you closer to Jesus. #FollowJesus