FATHERS ARE SHEPHERDS. Written By Alo Tosin Segun.

A Shepherd is meant to protect his flock and guide them to good pastures with plenty of good food and slow moving accessible water (Ps23:2). If the grass is of poor quality, the sheep would be malnourished.

If the water torrent is overwhelming, the sheep would be afraid to drink from it.

Guiding flock of sheep to a good location is an extremely important task for a shepherd because feeding on quality pastures and drinking of water keeps the sheep HEALTHY.

Fathers have been authorized by God to guide their family members in accordance with His divine purpose. David realizes that our heavenly Father is our Shepherd and he acknowledges the importance of sheperdhood in the book of Psalm 23:1-3 when he said; “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

The God of heaven is our Shepherd and He has bestowed the responsibility of Shepherdhood on every father on earth, so the fathers are duty bound to tend their family members.

The shepherd provides protection, direction, restoration, provision and comfort to the sheep of his flock, in a similar manner, fathers are to replicate all these qualities to their respective family members to make and keep them healthy.

The quality of pasture and water being fed to the sheep determines how healthy they become, fathers are to feed their families with both spiritual and physical food and water which are the word of God and the culture of Christ.

Fathers are to give protection to their family members as the shepherd protects the flock of his sheep.

Besides protecting, they are to provide VISION to their families in the direction which God is leading the family [Eph. 6:4].

Vision is an attribute of God’s ability in us that allows us to see the end product from the beginning of the process and declare the end as he sees it right from the beginning [Habak 2:3]

Fathers should provide clear vision that addresses present and future needs of his family based on God’s instruction and direction.

Fathers should be sensitive to understand every God’s given vision and idea about their family. Visions are time bound and season sensitive, therefore, promptness and action are required in the activation of every given family vision.

It is pertinent to note that fathers are always the target of the devil. The Bible rightly said in Matthew 26:31 that if the shepherd is smitten, the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
“…for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.”
( Matthew 26:31 KJV )

Once the father who is the shepherd and the head of the home is captured by the devil or not in good relationship with God, automatically the other parts of the body who are the family members become adversely affected. It is no wonder the head carries all the vital and sensitive organs of the body [Isaiah 1:5].

A father should be fervent in prayers and be in constant fellowship and communion with God to resist the attack of the devil over his life and that of his family members; so that the required direction, focus, provision, comfort required of him from his family will not be truncated as such he will not lose any of his family like the lost sheep.

WHO IS A GOOD SHEPHERD?

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd give his life for the sheep.” John 10:11.
A good shepherd is a sacrificial one, the one that is willing to ignore his personal benefit or gains in order to meet the needs of his sheep. Jesus Christ is the good shepherd because he laid down his life for us so that we might live. He wants us fathers to be good shepherds in like manner, willing to be sacrificial for our families as well.

As a father, how sacrificial can you be for your family members whom God has committed into your hands? How willing are you to let go of those enjoyable negative character, behavior and attitude for you to be committed to the growth of your home. ALL FATHER MUST BE SACRIFICIAL FOR THEIR FAMILIES AS JESUS CHRIST DID FOR US. [1 Cor. 11:1]

Time is one of the greatest assets that the shepherd invests in his sheep.

Fathers should invest quality time for his family to create bond and atmosphere of love for healthy growth.

As the shepherd uses his rod and staff for direction and correction of his sheep, Fathers are to use the word, values and principles of God in directing and correcting his family members.

Fathers must learn to correct in Love every member of his family that is not moving in accordance with God’s given vision or mandate for the family. [Heb. 12:11a]

WHOSE VOICE ARE YOU FOLLOWING?

In John 10:3-4 Jesus Christ was telling us that his sheep knows his voice and they follow him whenever they hear his voice and a stranger’s voice they will not follow, meaning anyone who follows him shall be saved and find rest following him.

As a father, does your family know your voice? Are you leading them in the path of righteousness and knowledge of God in Christ Jesus?

The voice of who the Father hears and follows is what he tends to use in leading his home. So fathers must be hearing from God and follow God then his family will follow suit.

YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE.

The shepherd is accountable for all the sheep under his care. Moreover Jesus Christ said he came purposely for the lost sheep [Matthew 18:11-14]. No wonder, the shepherd referenced in Jesus parable rejoiced more when he found that one lost sheep out of one hundred. The shepherd is still accountable for that one lost sheep, fathers are accountable for everyone placed under their care. If anyone is lost or strays away, he must go and find such.

Many of the problems in our society can be traced to the problems in our families because most families are without a good shepherd, worse still, some do not have a shepherd at all and as a result of this, most families are without direction, focus, provision, protection etc. that is expected from a father who is the shepherd of the family.

In reversing the negative order in our society the role of fathers as shepherds of the family must be given a serious attention and focus must shift to the fathers in playing the role of a good shepherd in respective families.

The family is foundational level of building any healthy society and that is why they say if the foundation be destroyed what can the righteous do [Ps 11:3].

Most importantly, we must go back to fix the foundational defect which is the family.

Fathers must play roles of a good shepherd over their families based on Godly principles and culture.

Ultimately fathers should anchor on Jesus Christ as the chief Shepherd of their lives and families.