Shepherds for the Lord

Let’s see God’s loving heart toward us as our Father as a Shepherd, and how His only Son Jesus Christ (who made known the Father) is also a good shepherd. Through Christ, we can be good shepherds ourselves.

Psalm 23: The Lord Our Shepherd

Psalm 23 is one of the clearest places where we learn about God being a Shepherd. It is a “Psalm of David,” who was a shepherd. It’s about the Messiah, the son of David, who is the good shepherd. There is a lot of great shepherding going on in this psalm. The English word “shepherd” comes from the two English words “sheep” and “herd,” to herd sheep. That’s because sheep need direction, they need to be shown where to go. We will look at some of the Hebrew words in this psalm that give us good insight about being a shepherd.

Verse 1:
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

In Hebrew, this literally says “the Lord my shepherd.” In the King James Version, the word “is” is in italics, meaning it was added. Because the Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. That means that we will have no lack. You have a body, you have soul, and being born again you have spirit. You are not lacking in any part of who you are because the Lord is our Shepherd. That is true even more so today because in His Son Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, we have our need met so that there is no lack at all.

Verse 2:
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

The Hebrew for “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures” literally means “He causes me to rest in a sprouting home,” or in a pleasant place. Whatever you need, God will cause to sprout up, and we can rest in the home God has given us. Even if we are nomadic in our lifestyle, and live in different places, we can still rest in God’s sprouting home. We can rest in His love and in His kindness and care for us. And we can rest in the goodness of God as we care for others.

At times, when I try to sleep at night, I allow all of my muscles to relax and let the bed support me. It’s not me trying to hold up the bed or keep my body tight. But I rest in the comfort and strength of that support. That’s how it can be every day with us. I know that there’s tribulation, mental pressure, turmoil—but we can have rest because our home is sprouting, we have what we need.

The Hebrew for “he leadeth me beside the still waters” can be translated as “the sparkling flow of the waters of repose.” In our sprouting home, we can also take repose by the sparkling flow of the waters of life. Jesus said that spiritual, living water would flow out from us when we believe on him.

Verse 3:
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

“He restoreth my soul” means to refresh one’s life. In Hebrew, it can mean “He turns back my breath [my life].” The word “breath” is the same word as “soul.” Our soul life has a lot to do with how we think. Saying that God “turns back our souls” reminds me of Proverbs 3:5.

Proverbs 3:5:
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

We trust in the Lord with all our hearts and don’t lean on our own breath, on our own understanding and thinking. He will “turn us back” when we have meek hearts, from making those mistakes that the world wants us to make—when the adversary tries to trick us into doing wrong and stupid things. But having a good Shepherd, He refreshes us, He turns back our souls from making the mistakes that we otherwise might make.

Proverbs 3:6:
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

God, as the good shepherd will direct our paths. The English word “direct” comes from the Latin recto, meaning “right or straight.” That is what the Hebrew says here. God, the Shepherd, “guides me on the right track.” We don’t have to be worried about being stupid, because we are all sheep. The Bible uses sheep as an analogy for people. All we like sheep have gone astray. But we have a good Shepherd, and we can trust Him to help us get to where we need to go.

Verse 4:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

It doesn’t say that God tells us to walk there. I am the one who decides to walk there. The Hebrew for “valley of the shadow of death” can be translated as “gorges of the grave.” Gorges have steep sides. In the Bible lands, the dry desert areas receive strong rains during the rainy season. At that point, rivers within deep gorges are formed. When they dry out, this can be a place where sheep who have gone astray can be trapped. There may be hyenas or other predators waiting for them, lurking there. This is the “valley of the shadow of death.”

But a good shepherd would not allow that to happen when his sheep listen to him. It says that “thou art with me.” God is always there. Even living in the midst of the horrible and wicked things that the devil tries to carry out in this world, we do not have to be afraid of the evil one. Jesus taught his disciples to pray to our Father, and thank Him for delivering us from the evil one. That is our prayer every day, and our Father does deliver us. We don’t have to be afraid, because He is with us. The Hebrew says “He is along with me.” However long we have here on earth, He’s there for the ride. God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, are there to help us.

And we know that “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” In Hebrew, the word “rod” means a branch from a tree. Of course, Jesus Christ is God’s Branch that He sent to redeem mankind. But it could mean a stick that is used for protection. The word translated “staff,” in Hebrew means a “support.” God, our good Shepherd, gives us protection and support.

The Hebrew word for “comfort” means to “sigh in relief.” We can sigh in relief knowing that we are protected and cared for by a loving Shepherd. We can relax in life. It doesn’t mean that we’re not fighting or staying sharp, alert, and vigilant. We are sober because we have an adversary, the devil, but we can “sigh” knowing that God has us taken care of.

Verse 5:
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

“Thou preparest a table” can be translated as “You prepare in rows, meals for me before my face.” Right in front of my face, in an orderly arrangement, there are meals set up to feed me. That is not only a good dietary plan for physical food. It includes being fed with what we need to know. So often in the Bible we see feeding and shepherding used synonymously. Feeding is often equated with teaching God’s Word to people, feeding them the truth and giving them the word of life. That’s what we do when we shepherd people.

That’s what our heavenly Father will do when we go to Him. He will help us have systematic learning each day, and that will be different for each of us. That is not necessarily having a study plan, or reading the Bible in a year.  That could be part of it. But I am talking about every day, what we need to feed on from God’s truth, He will supply. God prepares the truth for us even right in front of, in the presence of our enemies. The Hebrew word for “enemies” means those who to try to narrow or cramp us in. Where the devil is trying to cramp us in, God provides an abundance of truth.

The shepherd “anointest my head with oil.” That is refreshing, and also refers to when sheep would be bruised or cut. The shepherd put oil on their injury to heal them. In Jesus Christ, we have great healing.

And “my cup runneth over.” That can be translated as “my container is fully satisfied.” What are some of those containers? We all have 24-hour containers each day that we can have God fill with the right things. We all have containers of need that God can supply. One big area where our containers are satisfied is in personal relationships. Those are perhaps the most important areas of our lives: how we deal with our spouses, children, grandchildren, family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and others. These are the people we want to spend our lives with. And we can be fully satisfied, our cups can be running over in whatever container of life we have, including those vital relationships.

Verse 6:
Surely goodness [God’s grace] and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The Hebrew word translated “follow” means to “run after or pursue.” Hebrews 4:16 says we are to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” We seek God’s grace and mercy to help us when we need it, through what Jesus Christ has done for us. But God is also pursuing us, running after us, to provide His gracious help to us, and forgiveness with his mercy when we make mistakes. That’s something to be very thankful for, that God graciously pursues us.

And this will last “all the days of my life.” This can be translated as “all my living days.” How many living days do we have? We don’t know. Jesus Christ could come back tomorrow and gather together his church. Or if that doesn’t happen for years, I could fall asleep in Christ in the future. But all our living days, God’s grace and mercy will pursue us. And that is a promise!

“I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” can be translated as “I will remain, or live, or sit in the house of the Lord for length of days.” That includes whatever the length of our days is on earth, and then all eternity when we will be with the Lord. What a wonderful way to close this beautiful psalm about God as our shepherd.

David as a Shepherd

David, who wrote Psalm 23, was a shepherd himself. God describes his quality as a shepherd in another psalm.

Psalms 78:70,71:
He [God, our Shepherd] chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
From following the ewes [female sheep] great with young he brought him to feed [to shepherd] Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

Notice that God calls His people by two names: Jacob and Israel. “Jacob” means “supplanter,” one who contends for his own gain—as when Jacob worked with his mother to trick Isaac into giving him the firstborn’s blessing, or when he tried to appease his brother Esau later, or when he strove with his father-in-law, Laban, about his wages and flocks. Jacob wrestled with an angel and did all he could with his own abilities. But then, he surrendered to God’s grace and mercy. God changed his name to “Israel,” meaning “God rules.” He trusted God to supply his needs, not himself.

Often in the Bible, “Jacob” shows the nation’s reliance on self, and “Israel” shows God’s merciful and gracious blessings to them. Here, God continues to “feed” us, even when we try to do it ourselves. Why? Because we are His people, and He is our Father. We are God’s true inheritance, His sons and daughters in Christ.

Psalms 78:72:
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

God can work to give us “integrity” of heart through His Word, through our experiences in life, and by His love within us. Our hearts can be whole, not in pieces. The word “integer” refers to a whole number. Our heart can have integrity and be held together the way it’s supposed to be. It doesn’t have to be fragmented. God will help us to be healed and whole. David could feed them as a shepherd because of the abundance of good things in his heart. Jesus said that it’s from the abundance that’s in a man’s heart that he speaks.

David guided God’s people with the skillfulness of his hands. He knew how to take care of sheep, and the same principles apply to caring for people. David used his rod and staff to overcome a lion and a bear that attacked his father’s sheep. He used a shepherd’s sling to overcome an evil Philistine who attacked God’s people. We can grow in our skillfulness each day as we care for our children, grandchildren, and those God gives us to be with.

Many years after David was King, the Magi came to King Herod to find out where the Messiah, the true King, would be born. Those who knew the scriptures told Herod that this would happen in David’s city, Bethlehem.

Matthew 2:6:
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor [ruler, leader], that shall rule [poimainō] my people Israel [God’s beloved ones].

This Greek word, poimainō, means to “shepherd or guide or rule or feed.” Jesus Christ was the shepherd ruler. Wherever God gives us the privilege to shepherd and act as leaders, even over our own selves at times so that we know what to do each day, He is a faithful Shepherd. And we want to follow His Son’s example and be shepherd rulers. We want to care for ourselves and others with that type of love.

Ezekiel: Wicked Shepherds and God’s Salvation through the Messiah

Not every spiritual leader will be a good shepherd. God showed this to Ezekiel when he was a prophet in Israel.

Ezekiel 34:1-10:
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man [son of Adam], prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! [similar to what Jesus called “thieves,” “robbers,” and “hirelings”] should not the shepherds feed the flocks [and not themselves]?
Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick [anointing with oil], neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost [Jesus had read these scriptures and knew that he was to gather the lost, even when religious “shepherds” did not]; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them [as Jesus saw in his time, and as we still see sadly today among some religious leaders].
And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat [food] to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill [where they worshipped other gods]: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them [God wanted to seek them, but there was not faithful person to do it].
Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat [food] to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds [those who were supposed to] search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat [food] for them.

God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. He will not do evil, yet there are consequences to those who work for the adversary, the devil. God will deliver His people from these evil leaders.

Ezekiel 34:11-15:
For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day [like the “shadow of death”].
And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers [those quiet streams of living waters], and in all the inhabited places of the country.
I will feed them in a good pasture [green sprouting fields], and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie [rest and repose] in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

Even if people don’t shepherd as they should, God will figure out how to take care of people who want to be taken care of.

Ezekiel 34:16,17:
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them [the evil shepherds who fed themselves] with judgment.
And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.

You cannot hide from God or fool him. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 25:32 that he will some day in the future “separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.”

Ezekiel 34:18,19:
Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.

Like selfish and uncaring sheep, these evil leaders were not satisfied with having grass and water themselves. Not only did they eat up all of the good grass and drink from the clear water, but they tread down the grass that other sheep could have had, and stirred up murky waters to make them undrinkable. Like Jesus Christ, my heart goes out with compassion for those people who want to know God’s Word today but are given substandard teaching and even lies that hurt them in their hearts, when they desire to know a loving Father. As God’s shepherds, we want to give His best to people.

Ezekiel 34:20-24:
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad [they want everything for themselves];
Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
And I will set up one shepherd [the Messiah] over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David [the son of David, Jesus Christ] a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

King David had been dead some 400 years when Ezekiel gave this prophecy. This is a promise of the Messiah, the true David, who would be a good shepherd even greater than his ancestor David. He would be God’s servant and a ruler among them. This was God’s promise.

Jesus: The Good Shepherd

How can we be good shepherds, and provide clean and clear and refreshing water, green pastures, and a place of repose to God’s people today? Jesus, who always sets the true example for us, showed us how.

Mark 6:3:
And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

As we go about our daily lives, our hearts go out to people. We have God’s love in our hearts and a compassion that inspires us to help. There are so many people today who are seeking God’s deliverance. Like our Savior, we can teach. What will you teach? “Many things.” Whatever the people need. We have an abundance of truth in the Scriptures to help feed those sheep who are wandering and seeking God’s care.

Jesus taught his followers a beautiful parable about the good shepherd.

John 10:1:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way [Greek, “from another place”], the same is a thief and a robber.

We don’t want to go climbing in to help the sheep from any other place than where God is. We represent God our Father, and we serve our Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t want to be shepherds that are climbing in from some other place. Thieves and robbers are people.

John 10:2-5:
But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter [gate keeper] openeth; and the sheep hear his [the shepherd’s] voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Real sheep know the voice of their own shepherd. If someone else tries to call them aside and lead them, they will not follow but will run away because it is a stranger’s voice.

John 10:6:
This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

Like so many people today, Jesus’s disciples did not understand what he was trying to share. So, he lovingly and patiently explained this parable to them.

John 10:7:
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door [access to the Father] of the sheep.

Jesus Christ provides open access to God as our Father. That access is available to anyone who believes that God raised Jesus from the dead and makes him their Lord. All good things come from God, our Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I Corinthians 8:6:
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of [Greek ek, out from] whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by [Greek dia, by means of] whom are all things, and we by him.

Born-again Christians have only one God—and He is our Father. All good things are out from (ek) Him. We have only one Lord—and that is Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son who rose from the dead. All good things are through (dia) him.

People may call God “Lord” today, but Jesus gave us a better relationship with God than those who knew Him as Jehovah. Today God is much more intimate with us—He is our Father. And God has given His Son, Jesus Christ, full authority as Lord over all things. When we recognize Jesus as the Lord of all, God (our Father) is glorified.

Philippians 2:9-11:
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In the future, when Jesus has accomplished all God called him to do, he will hand back that authority to his Father, the Lord and Creator (I Corinthians 15:28). Today, we serve our Lord Jesus Christ, the good shepherd.

John 10:8:
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

Jesus Christ knew from scriptures, like Ezekiel 34, that these people who came before him were thieves and robbers. They did not feed the sheep, but abused them and took all the good for themselves. This had gone on for centuries, and still goes on today. But we are to be good shepherds, like our master, Jesus Christ. Those sheep who love our Lord will hear us and believe.

John 10:9,10:
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The devil works in these wicked people to be thieves that steal, kill, and destroy. They are often in religious garb. But Jesus Christ came so we can have an abundant life—just as Psalm 23 describes, with full satisfaction in God’s supply to us.

John 10:11:
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth [sets down] his life for the sheep.

Jesus not only set down his life by dying on the cross, he gave all that he had to accomplish God’s will while on earth. That’s what we do each day. We serve our Lord Jesus Christ and do the Father’s will. We give our all to help those in need.

John 10:12,13:
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf [a ravenous beast, like the devil] coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

The hireling is only getting paid to do a job. He doesn’t love the sheep, but runs away when danger comes from the evil one. We don’t shepherd others to get something from them. We know that God will richly reward us for our good works.

John 10:14,15:
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Paul: Speaking Up as a Shepherd

The Apostle Paul taught some leaders from Ephesus when they came to him at Miletus. He had learned from Jesus, the good shepherd, and some of the apostles how to shepherd others. And he shared with these Ephesian believers how to shepherd in the church today.

Acts 20:25-27:
And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

This refers to the “watchman” of Ezekiel 33. If the watchman warned the people of approaching danger and death, and they did not take heed to the warning, their blood was on their heads. But if the watchman neglected to sound the warning and the people were hurt, their blood was on his head. Paul said he spoke up with what God wanted him to say. He gave them all of God’s good counsel.

Acts 20:28-32:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves [start there], and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost [God, Who works in us by His gift of holy spirit] hath made you overseers, to feed [poimainō] the church of the Lord [in major Greek texts], which he hath purchased with his own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves [as Jesus had taught in John 10] enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them [out of pride and ego].
Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word [feeding the sheep] of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

The adversary wants to stop us from being shepherds, so that the sheep will scatter. Jesus quoted a great truth from Zechariah 13:7.

Mark 14:27-29:
And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.
But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

Jesus knew his disciples would scatter when he was taken, beaten, and killed. But he also told them he would rise and see them in Galilee. Peter said he would never be offended—but he was scattered with the rest of the sheep. Later, Peter did go to Galilee and saw the risen Christ.

John 21:15-17:
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Jesus asked Peter to change professions. He had been a fisherman, but now he was to be a shepherd, taking the oversight of God’s people. Jesus constrained him to “feed” or shepherd the people. First, the tender little lambs (young believers and those less mature spiritually). Then, the adult female sheep. And finally, the adult male sheep. Peter was to care for each believer to meet each individual need. Whatever secular occupation we have, we can all be shepherds for the Lord. Being righteous in Christ, we have the ability to feed others the truth.

Proverbs 10:21:
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

Jesus taught the people “many” things. And we can feed “many” people who long for the truth. Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him [the suffering savior and Messiah, Jesus Christ] the iniquity of us all. Every person will go astray. We all need to turn to the Lord God through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Hebrews 13:20:
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.

Jesus Christ is now the great shepherd who sits at the Father’s right hand. Jesus is also the one who looks over and helps those who come to him.

I Peter 2:2:
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop [one who looks over and helps] of your souls.

Peter took his role as a shepherd seriously. He told others how they could be good shepherds too.

I Peter 5:2-3:
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [looking over and helping] thereof, not by constraint [out of religious pressure], but willingly; not for filthy lucre [wealth or an egotistical desire for praise], but of a ready mind [prothumos, eager desire].
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

We don’t “lord” it over others, because we have one Lord, Jesus Christ. God entrusts His heritage to us, so we set a good example for them to follow.

I Peter 5:4:
And when the chief Shepherd [Jesus Christ] shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Wealth, praise from men, controlling and exerting power over others—all these things are very temporary. But God will reward us eternally for our faithful and loving service to shepherd His people.

Let’s show others God’s loving heart as our Father and as a Shepherd. Let’s tell others about His Son Jesus Christ, the good shepherd. And let’s be good shepherds ourselves through the power of Christ within us!