SHEPHERD
"Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither, And his right eye shall be totally blinded."
Zechariah 11:17 (NKJV)
Leadership is a responsibility. No wonder, in the epistle of James,
he said: "MY BRETHREN, LET NOT MANY OF YOU BECOME TEACHERS [or preachers], KNOWING THAT WE SHALL RECEIVE A STRICTER JUDGEMENT" (James 3:1 NKJV). Everything lies on leadership. If the people would live right, go or move in the right direction, it depends on the leadership.
The passage of the Bible says: "WOE TO THE WORTHLESS SHEPHERD, WHO LEAVES THE FLOCK! A SWORD SHALL BE AGAINST HIS ARM AND AGAINST HIS RIGHT EYE . . . " (Zechariah 11:17 NKJV).
God was not happy with the shepherds of Israel. Also, there are many shepherds today whom God is not pleased with.
Why would God not be pleased with a shepherd?
He would not, if a shepherd left undone what he is assigned to do (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2).
There are many ministers today whose goal is money. They are in the work of ministry for what to get, they are for profit making, or what to eat. Their minds are set on the earthly things:
18 FOR MANY WALKS, OF WHOM I HAVE TOLD YOU OFTEN, AND
NOW TELL YOU EVEN WEEPING, THAT THEY ARE THE ENEMIES OF
THE CROSS OF CHRIST:
19 WHOSE END IS DESTRUCTION, WHOSE god IS THEIR BELLY,
AND WHOSE GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME—WHO SET THEIR MIND
ON EARTHLY THINGS."
Philippians 3:18,19 (NKJV)
Such believers or ministers think godliness or working in the ministry is a means of gain (1 Timothy 6:5). A minister whose attention is shifted from his assignment, or lost focus, would lose the anointing on his life, and the fellowship or communion of such with God would no longer be intact. Imagine God saying a sword shall be against the arm and the right eye of a worthless shepherd who leaves the flock or cares not for the flock (Zechariah 11:17).
If you are given any assignment in the church or ministry leadership, be committed and faithful in doing it. Do not let money or crave for material things be your goal in whatever you do in God's vineyard (1 Peter 5:2). If your relationship and fellowship or communion with God is intact, He will always reprove you when you did wrong or you are about to go astray (Hebrews 12:11).
God's chastisement or discipline might not be palatable, but it will surely do a good work of reshaping and yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).
Peace.