The Shepherd sees his sheep as holistic beings. He is not simply interested in their souls, nor in their so-called afterlife. He does not separate his care into “sacred” and “secular” categories, prioritizing the “spiritual” needs over the “natural.”
As his sheep, we are also his disciples. Learners. Apprentices. Followers who, when fully trained, will be like our Shepherd master. He is transforming us, changing us, growing us.
Every component of our communities, our culture, our churches, is carefully choreographed to move us closer to Christ-likeness. What we eat, where we work, how we spend our free time – these are all equally important in the process as the ministry in which we are engaged. We are to do all to the glory of God; all that we do plays a part in our formation.
Our work as under-shepherds must include concern for the ordinary events of ordinary people who are anything but ordinary to their Great Shepherd.