It is evident from the Saviour's statement, "There shall be one fold, and one Shepherd," that the work of the Lord in the earth, whatever the particular branch of that work or wherever it may be performed, is regarded by the Lord as a unit. He makes no provision for separation into classes of workmen, nor for any division of authority which would make it appear that one man is superior to another because of his official position. "There shall be one fold, and one Shepherd." Alienation between shepherds has no part with God; there is to be no dominion one over another. All undershepherds are to be united as one in Him.
From the days of Abraham, the people of God have been familiar with the term "shepherd" as signifying a keeper of sheep. David is known as the "Shepherd King," and some of his most inspiring psalms portray most vividly the scenes in a shepherd's life. The twenty-third psalm affords one of the most picturesque renderings, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."
Ezekiel, also, resorts to familiar scenes and experiences in his shepherd life when he paints the graphic picture of the false shepherds, and the wounded, scattered flock, recorded in the thirty-fourth chapter of Ezekiel, and concludes by explaining the simile thus: "And ye My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God."
Christ chose to speak of Himself as the "Good Shepherd." He knows His sheep and is known of them. He is the "Chief Shepherd," and until He shall appear to gather the "little flock" into the kingdom, He has appointed undershepherds to feed the flock, and to protect the sheep, even at the sacrifice of life itself.
Sheep do not know how to take care of themselves. Seldom do they hunt for green 'pasture or seek far for water. They must be led where there is nutritious food and plenty of water provided, and it is the shepherd's duty to lead them. Then, too, the flock must be guarded against devouring beasts. Sheep are not fighters; they make no resistance, and are an easy prey. The true shepherd will not only lead his flock into rich pasturage, but he will protect the sheep from danger.
Wherever a healthy, flourishing flock is found, there will also be found a painstaking, watchful shepherd. The shepherd's work is laborious, constant, exacting. Every true shepherd has a kind and sympathetic heart. Jacob's experience as a shepherd is revealed in his conversation with Laban when he said: "This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. . . . In the day the drouth consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes." Gen. 31:38-40.
No easy task is that of a shepherd, whether tending a flock of sheep or of souls. The Good Shepherd expects that His undershepherds will care for the church. They must feed the flock with suitable, nutritious food, to which the shepherd himself is directed by the Holy Spirit, and is taught how to adapt it to the individual needs of Christian experience. Some Within the fold of the church may be strong and vigorous, and able to absorb food which is not suitable for the aged, the weak, the youth, and the children. The shepherd must see that each member of his flock has his rightful portion of suitable food. Complicated utterances, and language which cannot be comprehended by the uneducated mind, is out of place in the feeding of the flock.
When the shepherd fails to feed and protect the flock, he ceases to be a true shepherd, and is classed as a "hireling," who does not regard the sheep as tenderly as if they were his own, but tends them simply for the wages he receives. The test of a true shepherd is stated in the words, "He giveth his life for the sheep." There must be no thought of personal interest, but the chief concern at all times and in all places must center in the health, growth, and prosperity of the sheep.
As undershepherds of the flock of God today, do we measure up to the true standard so soon to become an eternal reality—"one fold and one Shepherd"?
