1 Peter 5:3 · 1 Corinthians 11:1 · Psalm 23:3
"Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." - 1 Peter 5:3
The Research
What the Scriptures reveal
Peter's instruction to be examples is set in deliberate contrast to lording it over the flock. The shepherd does not command the sheep to go somewhere the shepherd has not been. Bailey observed that the good shepherd leads from the front with a gentle call - not driving with a stick from behind.
Paul captured the same principle: "Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1). Shepherd leaders live their lives so they can invite the flock to follow. The standard of the shepherd's life is the baseline the sheep assume they are meant to reach.
The example of the shepherd is not primarily in their teaching but in their actions. Shepherds are accountable for how the sheep behave because the sheep follow the path the shepherd has walked. A life worth imitating requires transparency - not a polished image, but a real person following Christ in ways the flock can actually see.
Practical Application
What this looks like in practice
- Live transparently enough that your congregation has a real person to follow, not just a polished image
- Intentionally create moments where your congregation can observe how you live, not just what you teach
- Hold yourself to the same standard on Monday you preach on Sunday
- Invite people into your life at a depth that makes modeling possible
How are you doing in Modeling?
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