Radical Wisdom: A 7-Day Journey For Fathers – Day 3 – Shepherd now

What comes to mind when you think of a shepherd? Is it a guy watching his flock? Is it someone who takes care of his flock? Is it someone who protects his flock? Is it someone who guides his flock? Is it someone who nurtures his flock? Are you ready to shepherd now? Are you prepared to shepherd your family by watching over them, taking care of them, protecting them, guiding them, and nurturing them? Are you ready to pick up the mantle and take a stand as the shepherd for your flock just as David learned from shepherding his dad’s sheep and was then able to shepherd the people of Israel? Are you ready to be the dads who shepherd their flock aka their families who are strong and brave, not afraid of the wild beasts which prowled around and are trying to carry away your sheep (your wife, your kids, your extended family, your friends)? Are you ready to be the dads who shepherd by practicing and preparing to take a stand for the sake of your family so that if or when one day a giant comes along, you will have the faith in God and the skills from practicing to stand up and face him with faith and trust in God and ready to see God’s victory? Are you prepared to lean in and trust God, talk with Him, and listen and obey what He says to you? Let’s be the dads who are strong and courageous shepherds over our families! Let’s be the dads who are preparing and prepared to watch over, take care of, protect, guide, and nurture our families!

Scripture from Today’s Devotional:

So how do we shepherd now? Let’s turn to God’s Word first for wisdom and guidance! Let’s turn to God’s Word as our source and instruction!  God’s Word will never return void! God’s Word will help cut through the noise and the distraction and get to the core of the matter!

Let’s be the dads who know our flock! Let’s be the dads who are aware of where all of our flock is! Let’s be the dads who if one of our flock gets lost, will leave the others on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost! Let’s be the dads who shepherd our flock (our families) according to the integrity of our hearts! Let’s be the dads who guide them with our skillful hands! Let’s be the dads who realize that our wives and kids are the flock of God that we are to shepherd! Let’s be the dads who shepherd and guide and protect our wives and kids! Let’s be the dads who keep watch over our families exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God! Let’s be the dads who are not motivated for shameful gain, but with wholehearted enthusiasm; not lording it over those assigned to your care, not being arrogant or overbearing, but being examples of Christian living to our wives, our kids, our family, setting a pattern of integrity for them! Let’s be the dads who realize that we are to live in a way that will bring praise, honor, and glory to the Chief Shepherd who is Jesus so that when He appears, we will receive the conqueror’s unfading crown of glory! Let’s be the dads who protect our flocks (wives and kids) like a shepherd! Let’s be the dads who gather our kids in our arms, carrying them in our bosoms! Let’s be the dads who are gently and carefully leading our wives!

Today’s devotional has been provided to us by Regi Campbell from Radical Mentoring.

Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me: (check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)

For more information, please visit Radical Wisdom: A Daily Journey for Leaders (radicalmentoring.com).

Takeaways from Today’s Devotional:
“Sheep Without a Shepherd“

• Ever considered the similarities between kids and sheep?
• Today’s devotional speaks to it as follows:
  • “They’re on their way to independence, but for now, they’re powered by their youth and energy—and endangered by their lack of experience.“
  • “Like sheep, they need a shepherd . . . someone to watch over them.“
• Let’s be the dads who realize our kids need our shepherding!
• Let’s be the dads who are present!
• Let’s be the dads on watch and take our jobs as shepherds seriously!
• Let’s be the dads who are on the watch for sheep without a shepherd or shepherds who are needing help and support!
• Today’s devotional expresses what “a shepherding father does” as follows:
  • “Tends – Just as shepherds know where their sheep are, fathers, know where their kids are . . . physically, relationally, and spiritually.“
  • “Herds – Shepherds keep their flocks together. Dads have the same responsibility, and that starts with staying with their wives. You can’t keep your little sheep together if you let the two big sheep drift apart.“
  • “Feeds – Shepherds are the prime providers for their sheep. Dads need to do this for their children. There should never be a deadbeat dad . . . especially not a Christian one. In addition to providing for their physical needs, Dads must provide unlimited, unconditional love for their kids, as well as providing their spiritual food.“
  • “Guards – Shepherds do whatever it takes to drive away anyone or anything that will hurt their sheep or lead them astray. Dads guard their kids against external threats and avoid hurting them through anger, thoughtlessness, or neglect.“
• Let’s be the dads who are about tending to our kids, knowing where they are “physically, relationally, and spiritually“!
• Let’s be the dads who are about herding our kids, by “staying with our wives” because we know that we “can’t keep your little sheep together if you let the two big sheep drift apart“!
• Let’s be the dads who feed our kids by providing for their needs: physical, emotional, and spiritual through “unlimited, unconditional love for their kids, as well as providing their spiritual food“!
• Let’s be the dads who are protectors and who guard our kids, “driving away anyone or anything that will hurt our kids or lead them astray“!
• Let’s be the dads who are protectors and who guard our “kids against external threats and avoid hurting them through anger, thoughtlessness, or neglect“!
• Let’s be the dads who choose to shepherd in order to prevent ourselves from receiving labels such as “deadbeat dad“!
• Let’s be the dads who shepherd as we read about through the scriptures from today’s devotional!
• Let’s be the dads who care for our wives and kids if or when they get lost and also on a daily basis by tending, herding, feeding, and guarding them!
• Today’s devotional closes out with the following question:
  • “Question: Do you pay close enough attention to know when one of your sheep is drifting away?“