A call to the savage beasts: Come on the run.
    Come, devour, beast barbarians!
For Israel’s watchmen are blind, the whole lot of them.
    They have no idea what’s going on.
They’re dogs without sense enough to bark,
    lazy dogs, dreaming in the sun—
But hungry dogs, they do know how to eat,
    voracious dogs, with never enough.
And these are Israel’s shepherds!
    They know nothing, understand nothing.
They all look after themselves,
    grabbing whatever’s not nailed down.
“Come,” they say, “let’s have a party.
    Let’s go out and get drunk!”
And tomorrow, more of the same:
    “Let’s live it up!” (The Message).

Not only should these words cause Christians to pray for their leaders; they should also prompt leaders to examine themselves.

” Keep a critical eye both upon your own life and on the teaching you give, and if you continue to follow the line I have indicated you will not only save your own soul but the souls of many of your hearers as well.” (1 Tim.4:16: J.B. Phillips translation).

I remember reading an article in ‘Leadership Journal’ some years ago. It described how pastors who give and give, can succumb to a sense of ‘entitlement.’ Maybe someone has laboured and sacrificed (and suffered) in their service, and they become vulnerable to being seduced by the argument that ‘This is just for me‘: this little compromise, this bad attitude, this indulgence. Whatever it is. ‘It’s just a little something for me.’ The devil is a slick salesman and is good at marketing such lies. We can all too easily believe them – especially when at a low ebb mentally, spiritually, physically.

How we need to pray for our shepherds!

How the shepherds need to take heed unto themselves!!

Be vigilant. Don’t fall asleep at your post.