As a seminary student, I volunteered and interned in the student ministry at a local church. One mission trip took about 100 students and adult leaders to the mountains of Colorado. We helped some churches there while learning and growing together in Christ. We generally did our mission/ministry work in the mornings and had a few hours in the afternoon of free time to hike and explore the mountains around our camp and lodge, then we had a worship and reflection time in the evenings. One particular day there were 25 of us hiking around the top of this mountain. It was beautiful, but we could see a rain storm quickly approaching. We began sprinting down the trail toward the camp, but this storm caught us on the side of the mountain. It was raining buckets of water, the wind was blowing hard enough to make the rain sting, and there may have even been some small hailstones. Some of us found a small ledge to crawl under until the worst had passed. Students and adults talked excitedly about the storm and what we had seen and experienced as the rain turned to a sprinkle and was gone as quickly as it came. We headed, cold and soaking wet, toward camp. As the leaders began to take a mental roll call of the students who came with us, we knew we had them all. One young lady, however, noticed her friend was struggling to keep up and seemed a little confused, so she let an adult know. The nurse who had hiked with us, instantly recognized that the girl was on the verge of a diabetic coma. The girl had brought a rescue candy bar in case her blood sugar got too low, but in the excitement of the storm, she forgot to eat it and had gotten to the point where she could not even chew it. We had her sit down on a rock as her eyes started to roll back in her head. The quick thinking nurse asked the kids if they had any juice. One kid said, “I do!” The nurse helped the girl get her mouth open and sip the orange juice, all the while, telling her loudly, to “stay with us!,” and “keep drinking!” and “you are going to be okay!” The kids and other adults began to pray. After several scary minutes the girl responded and began to rouse. She was able to get her blood sugar back up and we helped her back down the mountain to the lodge. She was able to enjoy the rest of the week and return home safely.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that leaders are “those who must give an account” for their flock. When the apostle Peter was talking to the early church leaders, he was reminding them of their role as shepherds who take care of the flock. They are not just sheep counters, they take account of the condition of those in the flock. He says to the leaders, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve…” (1 Peter 5:2) When I think of a good shepherd, I think of that nurse, who “just happened” to be on that trip as an adult leader, and take that particular hike, and recognized the signs of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and knew what to do, so that the story ended well. God sent her to be the good shepherd representing the Good Shepherd (i.e. Christ) in those moments. There may be friends around us who need someone to notice them struggling physically, emotionally, or spiritually. God may be entrusting us, to help them in some way, not just count them as friends, but give account for their wellbeing. Be listening for His leading.
Hang in there people! God is glad to be with us! I’m praying for us all!
