John 10:12 (But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.)

Who am I: a hireling or a shepherd? This is the question we need to ask ourselves as leaders in the household of God.

A shepherd sees to the welfare of the sheep. He is ready to face the wolf whenever it appears and is willing to lead the sheep to greener pastures and beside still waters. A shepherd is prepared to sacrifice himself for the welfare of his flock if circumstances require it.

A hireling works for wages. He cares only about himself and not about the sheep. When the wolf appears, he runs away.

It is a good thing to work in God’s vineyard. There are rewards both here on earth and in eternity. However, I have yet to see anyone in the Bible who applied for the position of a pastor. God chose them, passed through His training, and were anointed to handle the responsibility.

Before David became the shepherd of God’s people, he shepherded his father’s flock. He killed a lion and a bear that sought to devour them. This was part of his preparation to become a shepherd in the hands of God.

Moses shepherded the flock of his father-in-law for forty years before he was called to lead God’s people out of Egypt. He learned how to care for the sick and those carrying young.

God’s work is the most delicate assignment on earth. If you are not ready to sacrifice yourself, your pleasure, and your time, you cannot become God’s servant.

This is what many hirelings are unwilling to do, which is why they run when the wolf appears to devour the flock.

The reward of a servant of God is not only on earth. God provides what is necessary to make their assignment easier while they are here. This is where the hireling misses it. They seek rewards for themselves on earth for work they have failed to do, yet they still expect to hear, “Welcome, faithful servant,” when they die.

If you are not in God’s will, no amount of work can justify your unfaithfulness. Some think their works will speak for them without considering the motives behind those works.

Like many workers, they will hear the most terrible pronouncement on that day: “Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.” They did everything with the wrong motives. They were hirelings who watched the sheep for personal gain rather than out of sacrificial service.

They can travel to the uttermost parts of the earth to win souls, not for God’s glory, but to satisfy their greed and boost their ego.

Jesus said that whoever wants to be a leader should be the servant of all. This is the criterion for leadership in the Kingdom, which is different from the way the world defines it.

A hireling is a servant who is expected to do the will of his master by caring for the sheep on his behalf, feeding them, and leading them beside still waters.

Some hirelings act like strong men over God’s heritage. They have trapped people in their own cages, feeding them with doctrines that differ from the teachings of the Bible.

When the wolf comes, or when the problems of the world arise, they abandon the sheep to face their struggles alone.

A brother was committed to a particular church. He paid his tithes and gave generously to the pastor whenever he could. Unfortunately, when he fell sick and needed the assistance of the pastor and the church vehicle to take him to the hospital, that was when he discovered that the vehicle had problems and the pastor was unavailable to help anyone.

Sadly, for this generation, many church leaders are hirelings. They know how to collect offerings and tithes, but they do not have time to fulfil their divine responsibilities to the flock.

To be continued…

Prayer: The harvest is plenty, but labourers are few, send labourers to your vineyard, oh Lord, that will direct people to you, not to themselves, in Jesus name, amen