Shepherd Those God Gives You

Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. - 2 Timothy 4:9-11

Years ago, a faithful pastor had a meeting with his local supervisor for his review. The superior told him, “I’m really concerned. Only one person has been added to your church this year – and he’s only a boy.” The pastor returned to his church that day discouraged.

As he was praying in the sanctuary, he heard someone walk up behind him. It was the one boy who had been added to his congregation that year. The boy asked, “Pastor, do you think I could become a preacher or missionary some day?”

The pastor encouraged him to pray and seek God about it. The lad was Robert Moffat who was destined to open Africa to the Gospel of Christ. Years later when Moffat spoke in London, a young doctor heard him say, “I have seen in the morning sun the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been.”

The young doctor, deeply moved by Moffat’s message, was none other than David Livingstone. In 1840, he sailed for Africa where he laboured for Jesus for more than three decades – all of this happened because a faithful pastor encouraged his “one convert.”

When it comes to sharing the Gospel with others, don’t get discouraged if only a small number ever respond. Shepherd faithfully those the Lord has given you – because you never know the impact they may one day have for the Kingdom!

Prayer Challenge:

Pray and ask God to bring people into your life whom you can lead spiritually.

Questions for Thought:

Why do you think so many fall into the trap of believing that having a lot of followers means success in ministry?

Who are a few people in your life today whom you can faithfully guide toward Jesus?