Shepherding Lesson: Pay the Price

One Lord's day afternoon, a sister requested me if I could go to visit a new family, her associate in the past who recently had contacted her and showed signs of seeking and loving the Lord Jesus Christ. The said family lives a little far from the place we are. To visit this family would require the paying of a price. Since I wanted my wife to come along, we made arrangements to keep our children in a saint's home; moreover, they would be writing their exam the following day. The travel to that place is over an hour. Besides, the cost of driving over there also has a toll fee up-and-down on the national highway. Plus, we just had our Lord's day meeting from 9:30 AM till 3:30 PM and without break, I need to go again which would bring me back home only after 9 PM. There definitely is a price to pay. This is a shepherding lesson.

My wife and I and a sister, we all went to visit the family, paying the price of time, energy, and money. To me, this is how we serve the Lord. The supply to meet all these needs comes from the Lord. And the Lord has been faithfully supplying all my needs.

Initially, I asked the brother to share his testimony which he did for over half an hour. After getting to know who he is and what his spiritual need was, I shared the very basic of God's plan in creating man with body, soul, and spirit, with the processes God passed through to redeem man, and how man could cooperate with the Lord's redemptive work by believing into Him and baptizing into His Name. This brother had a lack in understanding the need for baptism; therefore, I was burdened to present the truths about baptism with all the relevant Bible verses. My burden was to help him know and experience the reality of spiritual baptism as well as water baptism. I simply presented the truths of the Bible. It is the Lord who would open up his mind to make him understand. With such speaking, the brother opened up to study and pray to seek the Lord's speaking on baptism. After the burden was released, we all prayed together. He became one of my shepherding contacts. 

May the Lord give me the wisdom to shepherd him according to His way that this family would become a remaining fruit for the Lord's testimony here in the church in Gurugram.

May the Lord also grace me to pay the price, whatever the cost, to shepherd His sheep who are lost and longing for a proper shepherd.