What steps can we take to avoid being like the "hired hand"? Scripture Snapshot “12 The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.” (John 10:12-13) Recognize the Call to Ownership • Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). • Shift from a renter mind-set to an owner mind-set: the people God places in our care are not tasks but treasured souls (1 Thessalonians 2:8). • Ask daily, “How can I serve these sheep as if they were mine?” Pursue Sacrificial Love • Love that costs nothing looks like the hired hand; love that costs everything reflects the Shepherd. • “By this we know love: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16). • Choose inconvenience, give time, spend energy; sacrificial habits train the heart. Stay Rooted in Relationship, Not Paycheck • The hired hand works for wages; believers work for relationship with Christ and His flock. • “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). • Measure success by faithfulness, not applause or reward. Stand Firm When Wolves Appear • Wolves may be false teaching, temptation, or persecution (Acts 20:29-30). • Guard the flock with truth: “Contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). • Courage grows as we rely on the Shepherd’s rod and staff (Psalm 23:4). Serve for the Master’s Smile Alone • Motive matters: “Each one should serve others faithfully, administering God’s grace” (1 Peter 4:10). • Hidden service shapes a steadfast spirit; public praise can feed a hired-hand heart. Foster Genuine Compassion Daily • “Shepherd God’s flock among you… not out of obligation, but with eagerness” (1 Peter 5:2). • Look people in the eye, learn their names, remember their stories; compassion erases distance. Abide in the Good Shepherd • “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you” (John 15:4). • Personal communion with Christ fuels public care for others; disconnected servants drift toward hired-hand indifference. |
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