by Lito Roldan
Speaking to the Pharisees in a simple yet powerful metaphor, Jesus teaches the meaning of leadership. In “The Good Shepherd and His Sheep”, John (10:1-15) writes about Jesus as a consummate leader. A faithful steward, the Good Shepherd calls his “own sheep by name and they know his voice.” From this intimate relationship springs the sheep’s abiding in trust and obedience to the Good Shepherd. David, in Psalm 23:1-24, joyfully proclaims the Good Shepherd’s faithfulness in meeting his needs and fully entrusts his life in him. With him David feels total security even when circumstances of the greatest peril hover before him.
The safety of his sheep as his greatest concern, the Good Shepherd warns them of “hired hands”. These wolves, identified as false prophets and false teachers (2Peter 1:2), he cautions, will attack the flock and sow division. They will “secretly introduce destructive heresies” and “in greed will exploit them with fabricated stories, even denying the sovereign Lord.” The Good Shepherd speaks of the dangers his flock will face – the proverbial sheep in wolf’s clothing who, in all configurations, roams the world. In the Old Testament, the Lord bluntly issued a strong warning of destruction: “Woe to the worthless shepherd who deserts his flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his eye totally blind.” (Zechariah 11:17)
The Good Shepherd fosters unity among his flock yet, opens his pen to others whom he says he must also bring in. Magnanimously, he declares “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to the voice and there shall be , “ONE FLOCK and ONE SHEPHERD.” (John10:16)
Luke reveals in The Parable of the Lost Sheep (15:4-7) the Good Shepherd’s equal concern for his sheep. He looks for any sheep that goes astray and rejoices when he finds it. The lost sheep being brought home on the Good Shepherd’s shoulders conjures a vivid image of a loving father rejoicing after finding a lost son. More importantly, the Good Shepherd is ready to suffer and give his life that his sheep may live. He confirms his intimacy with the Father, gives the reason why his Father loves him and establishes his authority over life and death (John 10:17-18).
The Good Shepherd teaches the meaning of quintessential leadership anchored on the greatest love of all – the willingness of the leader to lay down his life for the led. It is a follower-centered leadership focused on the goal of salvation manifest by the leader’s righteousness, equanimity, magnanimity, generosity, courage and selflessness. The genuine leader lives his life according to the will of the Father and in obedience to His command, for he fully understands that without obedience there can be no love.
Unquestionably, the Spirit of Christ is at work in GSCC. Its founders could not have chosen a better model of leadership than the Good Shepherd as a source of strength and guide as they lead the flock to the path of righteousness in quest for eternal life. For the last 5 years in countless ways, their faithful adherence to the precepts the Good Shepherd has laid down for the worthy shepherd has reaped for this community of believers enormous blessings.
