Shepherding : As Father and Mother

1 Thessalonians 2:7  But we were gentle in your midst, as a nursing mother would cherish her own children.11 Just as you know how we were to each one of you, as a father to his own children, exhorting you and consoling you and testifying,

In shepherding the saints the Lord taught me this very important lesson of being a "mother" and a "father" to the ones He bestowed as "guardian." For reason of time and space, I have tried to "hand over" the shepherding of the new ones under my care to the saints in their vicinity. In fact, once I introduced them I left the responsibility of shepherding to them, trusting that all would go well. But later, I discovered that all is not well all the time. The way an "uncle or aunty" would care for children is entirely different form how a "mother and father" would care. For life relationship itself is entirely different. Even with utmost care and concern, the heartbeat of a mother and father is different from that of somebody else. Life relationship cannot be transferred, so is genuine shepherding. This is what I have been learning and experiencing all this while.

A doctor couple, a bureaucrat and a lecturer, an IT engineer, a business manager, retired officials,..whom the Lord has graced me to shepherd them to Him and had been shepherding them for quite sometime, but due to my limited-ness I had "transferred" them to some other brothers and sisters for the follow up shepherding. Though some shepherding is going on for some interval, I ultimately discovered the lack and the urgent need for me to still continue to shepherd them. The genuine care of a nourishing mother and exhorting father can never be replaced by none other, however spiritual or mature someone may be. Father is father and mother is mother and it will always be. Nothing can alter this parental relationship. Not nullifying the function and shepherding of other brothers and sisters to take over, but stating the fact as subjectively as it is.

Since last month I have been burdened by the Lord all over again to still continue the shepherding of all these dear ones despite the factor of time and space. So I freshly decided to continue at least the phone call prayer-fellowship-shepherding at least once a week. Glad that the Lord reminded me and is training me to be a proper nourishing mother and exhorting father.

I know I have my limitation and shortcomings; and often, I tend to "transfer" the shepherding under the cloak of coordination, but the Lord reminded me again and again, never to give up on anyone, for whatever reason. Praise the Lord for this lesson of shepherding.

Lord, make me a proper shepherd; shepherding as father and mother.