We continue our focus on distorted leadership models. We got this concept from the book They Smell Like Sheep by Lynn Anderson.
Distorted Leadership Models – The Cowboy
Cowboys drive cattle – Shepherds lead sheep
No offense meant to western fans and cowboys. What I’m talking about here is the mentality of the “John Wayne” kind of cowboy and the distorted view of a cowboy that is seen on film. Here is a video of a real Texas cowboy who loves his cattle and dearly loves what he does.
What we are dealing with here in this article is the concept of what is seen in a lot of westerns: a hollering, gun-blazing, whip-cracking driver on horseback who scares the death out of the cattle as they run from him. They do what he says, but there is no relationship.
I know from talking to a lot of folks over the years that they have seen this modeled in homes, in churches and at work. A person who is really good at driving an agenda, charging up the hill and commanding the troops. He gets the job done and accomplishes the mission, but fails to see the valuable relationships and tender hearts of those he is leading. You might ask those closest to you to see what kind of leader they view you as. Do they see you as a gentle shepherd or a whip-cracking, hollering cowboy driving cattle? Which type of leader do you want to lead you?
Please contrast that kind of leadership to the shepherding model seen in Scripture. Look at what a shepherd does for the sheep. what kind of relationship a shepherd has with sheep, and how that model keeps getting applied to leadership in the Bible. We cannot cover all these things in today’s short article, so please do your own studying. It wouldn’t hurt to spend some time around sheep. In fact, I know a brother who has served as an elder/shepherd who owns sheep; this brother’s advice is that no man should serve as an elder until he has spent valuable time around sheep. I tend to agree with him.
Here are a few random points about Biblical shepherding:
All of God’s leaders in Scripture are referred to as shepherds – from judges (2 Samuel 7:7) to kings (2 Samuel 5:2; 1 Kings 22:7; Isaiah 44:28) to prophets (Jeremiah 17:16; Zechariah 11:7) to priests (Jeremiah 23:1,11) to New Testament elders (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-4). This analogy was not only common to the people of that time, it is a fitting description of the work and relationship a leader has with his people.
From Genesis to Revelation, God is described as our Shepherd (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 78:70-72; Revelation 7:17). Read Psalm 23 as one fantastic example of what the Lord does for us as our Shepherd.
Sheep need a shepherd. Look at how many times in Scripture the phrase “sheep without a shepherd is used” (2 Chronicles 18:16; Ezekiel 34:5; Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 9:36). Without the shepherd who will guide them to living water and green grass? Without the shepherd, the sheep will wander and get lost. If there is no shepherd they are vulnerable to attack from predators. Again, look through the Scripture to see what a shepherd does for his sheep (knows, builds relationship with his voice, leads, feeds, guides, protects, corrects, comforts, carries, fights and dies for them, etc.).
Gentle shepherds are not wimps. Just because a man is a gentle shepherd does not mean he is weak and spineless. Sadly, our picture of a tough American male is someone like John Wayne. A real man is a cowboy who will just bust into the saloon with either his fists or his six-gun and everyone just does what he says. He doesn’t take any stuff from anyone. We don’t typically think “shepherd” as the model of a tough American male. Remember, men like Moses and David were shepherds, and they were far from wimps and pushovers. If you want to know for sure, just try to attack or steal a shepherd’s sheep. The shepherd has to watch for potential threats and be ready to stand and fight the wolves. He is no wimp.
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
(Matthew 9:35-38)
Here are the other articles in this series:
- Hired hand – Just in it for what he gets out of it (money, power, or praise). This man is not truly invested as a shepherd is in his sheep.
- CEO – Instead of leading the church by being in others’ living rooms, he’s making decisions behind close doors in the boardroom.
- Sheriff – Flashing the badge, he’s the rule enforcer.
- Utility Player – The person who does it all and doesn’t delegate. The person who likes to play all the positions. He may be pretty good at a lot of jobs, but others need to be doing those jobs.