Five Ways a Shepherd Must Watch for the Sheep

1. Shepherds must watch out for the soul, mind and the heart of the sheep. Perhaps it is by being a farmer that you would understand the need to watch out for the innermost workings of the sheep God has given you. Being a shepherd is the same as being a farmer.

A farmer once told me of how he spent his savings to purchase some day-old chicks for his chicken farm.

He said to me, “After I purchased these day-old chicks I fed them earnestly and watched for them to grow, but they failed to grow.”

He told me, “I tried everything I could. I got the vet to come. I gave them extra food. I gave them vitamins. I spent so much money on these chickens but they simply did not grow!”

What this poor farmer did not know was that there was something inherently wrong with the chicks. He had purchased chicks that did not have the ability to grow. The chickens had a problem with their “soul”. They were “abnormal chicks” who lacked the normal ability to grow.

Another farmer told me how his pigs simply did not grow in spite of all that he did to make them grow.

These farming problems are the reasons why a shepherd must constantly watch out for the soul, mind and heart of the sheep. He is looking to see if there is something wrong deep inside. It is the deep inner problems of the sheep that prevent them from growing.

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for THEY WATCH FOR YOUR SOULS, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Hebrews 13:17

2. Shepherds must watch for the very lives of their sheep. Satan also wishes to kill your members. It is the duty of the pastor to pray for the preservation of the life of the sheep. God will spare their lives because of your prayers.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Acts 20:28-31

3. Shepherds must watch for the souls of the sheep by being constantly in prayer and thanksgiving.

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

Colossians 4:2

4. Shepherds must watch for the souls of the sheep by praying in the night for them. Praying at night is called “watching and praying.” Jesus commanded us to watch and pray. Watching and praying speaks of waiting on God in the night time.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1 Thessalonians 5:6

5. Shepherds must watch for the souls of the sheep by watching out for the enemy. There is always an enemy trying to steal our sheep. I remember a brother who reared chickens. One night, a cat came into the chicken coop and killed several of the chickens. The cat obviously could not eat more than one chicken but ended up killing more than fifty of them. This is the wickedness of the enemy who comes to destroy the work that we are doing. By the time the devil has finished going through the congregation, people are senselessly destroyed and are unable to be a part of a church anymore.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

2 Timothy 4:5

by Dag Heward-Mills