With-ness.
Not technically a word, but it should be. It is the foundational principle of our Shepherd’s modus operandi.
Biblical shepherding – the kind that satisfies the Great Shepherd’s heart – requires proximity. Presence. Personal interaction. With-ness.
When it comes to shepherding, there is not substitute for with-ness. While we cannot always be physically with those we shepherd, Jesus is. We can utilize the tools at our disposal to approximate presence, but ultimate we must rely upon the Shepherd’s actual proximity as we partner with him in caring for the sheep entrusted to our care.