Shepherding God's Children

An amazing post by Mama Lyons:

Sheri Dew tells of a young mom, pregnant with her fourth child, who attended a dinner honoring an accomplished couple.  This stay-at-home mom felt slightly out of place in this professional gathering.  At one point, the honored quest turned to the young mom and asked the inevitable question, “And what do you do?”  In considering her reply, she felt inadequate and lacking in what she offered to the world.  Her explanation of being a busy mother of three children with one more on the way was met with the man turning away assuming he could find more interesting company.

Most people can relate to feelings of not measuring up—at least in some times or areas of their lives.  Sister Dew put an interesting twist on this mom’s life and purpose.  She suggested that in the future this mom, and others like her, could answer the ‘what do you do question’ with, “I am shepherding some of God’s children back to exaltation with their Heavenly Father.  And what do You do?”

Shepherding people is a beautiful description of what we are all about in this life.  I have a peaceful painting of the Good Shepherd standing watch over a single sheep as she draws refreshing water from a calm river.   We can be, and are, similar shepherds to others who the Lord purposefully places in our lives.  We guide, protect, lead, and love those around us.  We offer our lives—not through dying, but through living each moment in serving, lifting, hoping, encouraging, and following the example of the Good Shepherd.  We are shepherding our family members, loved ones, visiting and home teaching families, co-workers, neighbors, and even strangers all the precious moments of our lives.  Daily, even hourly, we pray for heavenly help for those who surround us.

Being mortal, we don’t always have the eternal view of our experiences, and we can become tired, irritated, and even unwilling.  We can lose focus.  But the eternal value of all we do remains.  We just need to be full of hope and good cheer.

The first thoughts of “be of good cheer” usually create an image of a smiling, happy, light-filled person. So true and so desirable.  But another view of the commandment to “be of good cheer” could be from a shepherding point of view.  Even if we are struggling, as is often the human challenge, we can “be of good cheer” in extending hope or courage to another fellow struggler.  We can rejoice in others’ successes and welcome fellow sojourners into our lives.  We are of good cheer when we comfort someone and lighten their burden.

Being of good cheer and being ‘full of the hope that is in us’ go hand in hand.  I love the definition of hope in Preach My Gospel.  “Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you.  It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.  It is believing and expecting that something will occur.  When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good.  Hope helps you conquer discouragement. The scriptures often describe hope in Jesus Christ as the assurance that you will inherit eternal life in the celestial kingdom.” 

So what do we do? We live in hope and good cheer and we share it with others.  We pray daily realizing that “the influence of a [righteous person’s] prayers not only spans decades but can reach into the eternities.” (Sheri Dew) We shepherd each other on our way back to exaltation with our Heavenly Father.