The following words of counsel from A. W. Tozer point us to the main thing...
"Cattle are driven; sheep are led; and our Lord compares His people to sheep, not to cattle. It is especially important that Christian ministers know the law of the leader—that they can lead others only as far as they have personally gone....
The minister must experience what he would teach or he will find himself in the impossible position of trying to drive sheep. For this reason he should seek to cultivate his own heart before he attempts to preach to the hearts of others....
If he tries to bring them into a heart knowledge of truth which he has not actually experienced he will surely fail. In his frustration he may attempt to drive them; and scarcely anything is so disheartening as the sight of a vexed and confused shepherd using the lash on his bewildered flock in a vain attempt to persuade them to go on beyond the point to which he himself has attained....
The law of the leader tells us who are preachers that it is better to cultivate our souls than our voices.... We cannot take our people beyond where we ourselves have been, and it thus becomes vitally important that we be men of God in the last and highest sense of that term."
- A. W. Tozer, Price of Neglect
"Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock." ~ 1 Peter 5:2-3
May your ministry, but mostly your heart...
... Never stop cultivating!
Because those who lead best, follow best,
~ PJVS
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