“…Be On Your Guard!”

“…Be On Your Guard!”
Two years back the All African Conference of Churches (AACC) organized a first symposium in Nairobi, Kenya on “Misleading Theologies in Africa.” I happened to have presented a paper on “Misleading Theologies of Healing.” It came out clearly that misleading theologies flourish within the continent because we have not provided adequate pastoral care with theologies that leads rather than misleads.
Paul’s last words to the elders of Ephesus if implemented in our time can limit misleading theologies. Paul told them among other things, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood…”
This is to say the elders must first of all watch over themselves before being able to watch over the flock. Paul knew that if the elders relaxed their care over themselves and the flock, “savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.” Enemies do not only come from without! So he continued, “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!”
If your child is always eating in your neighbour’s house the chances are that the child is not well fed at home. If we fail to offer proper spiritual and physical care to the flock they will run to where there is the promise of such care!
Being shepherds of the church of God is to be faithful in handling what has been entrusted to us, unlike the falsehood which shepherds exhibit today; twisting the truth to their own gain at the expense of the flock.
Caring for the flock means that like Paul we should use our hands to engage in hard work to be able to help the weak. It is not maybe; he says, “by this kind of hard work we must help the weak…”(Acts 20:28-38).
We are called upon not to make the christians our money pools but rather to earn a living and help the poor among them.
Beloved friend, you are either a sheep or a shepherd. If you are a shepherd care for the flock, if you are a sheep be tender and meek!
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit thank you for making me an overseer of the flock. Help me to tend them with care. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!