Tying a bow...

Huw Williams | 14.29, Friday 28 November 2014 | Turin, Italy

We are due to tie a bow on our series in 1 Peter in church this weekend. It has been an extraordinary journey for me over the last couple of months, spending so much time in this wonderful book. I hope it has been for the congregation too. And here's one little thought from my musings this week in the final chapter of this great letter.

Peter begins this section by appealing to the church elders, to "Be shepherds of God's flock..." The image of the shepherd and the flock is a familiar one to Bible readers, but it is the characteristics of good under-shepherds that Peter identifies which I find most striking.

Peter gives us a list of three "nots" alternating with three "buts" - does he sketch out his definition both negatively as well as positively because there were as many examples of the former in his time as there are, sadly today? And it all focuses on motivation. The shepherd's heart is brought into sharp focus, since he is to lead in such a way that is not motivated by cold duty or responsibility, but by a willing disposition (v2a); not from a desire for money, but from an eagerness to serve (v2b); not from an authoritarian power-trip but from an exemplary life (v3).

These are challenging words for all of us who find ourselves with pastoral responsibility. In the modern world professionalism, materialism, careerism and authoritarianism have never been so popular (despite some rhetoric to the contrary) and they are flooding, unchecked, into so many modern models of ministry (- just read some of those books on church leadership!) It seems to me as though 1 Peter brings both a very timely warning, and a very profound encouragement, to examine our hearts and motives, and to examine who exactly is the focus of our worship, who we truly serve as the Chief Shepherd, and the posture of our hearts in doing so.