Flock Attitude

Read 1 Peter 5:1-7
Title in NIV: Instruction for elders to shepherd God's flock.

I want to focus on God's flock-us; all who are not an elder. We, the flock, are led by our shepherds. We are under the shepherds care. They are our overseers. We should allow them to fulfill that role. We should look to them as examples. We should be submissive to those who are older. We should be humble toward one another because vs. 5b says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Acts 11:29-30 says, "The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gifts to the elders by Barnabas and Saul." A flock helps the rest of the flock via the elders.

1 Timothy 5:19 says, "Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses." Careful! I'm not sure this means to gossip about something you don't like about the leadership and search out people to be on your side so you can find two or three. What happens when the two or three of you find two or three more and they find two or three more? This is called division of the flock. The one should have prayed and alone gone to an elders meeting to express his opinion.

In vs. 6, Peter compares God's love and care for us to the elders love and care for their flock. He also compares our attitude toward God and our elders: they should be the same. We should humble ourselves to our leaders. We should cast our anxieties on Him/them because they care for us. James 5:14 says, "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord."

Let us have the same attitude towards God's spiritual leadership in our life as we have toward the earthly leadership in our life. Because we are really just practicing our attitude toward God in how we treat our earthly leaders.

Be a blessing! Allow some one to be a blessing to you.