“I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.

-Jeremiah 23:4, NIV

When going through adultery discovery and divorce, it is hard to know which pastor to trust. 

Does this one care more for “saving” my marriage or are they willing to counsel divorce to deal with the ongoing sinful , adulterous abuse?

Bad shepherds existed in the day of Jeremiah. This verse follows a passage where the prophet announces condemnation for the shepherds’ failures in Jeremiah’s day.

Instead of looking at their failures, I want to point out what this verse indicates are signs of godly shepherds:

1. They “tend” their flock.

This means the pastor actually demonstrates care for those in his congregation. Their pain matters to him or her. A pastor who acts aloof from the “common” sheep does not fit this model.

2. Their presence calms and possibly eliminates the fears and terrors of their sheep.

They do not motivate their flock through fear. Instead, their sheep feel safe around them and less scared. A pastor who regularly feeds your fears is not a pastor in this mode.

3. “Sheep” don’t just go missing with them as the shepherd.

This strikes me as related to point number one. They care about their sheep. This care leads them to know what has happened to their sheep so that none are “missing.”

Plus, if a sheep is in trouble, they are there to help the sheep with the struggle. They don’t just write off the sheep because it is a bother to them. Sheep don’t just go missing on their watch.

Look for these traits, and you will find a godly pastor behind them.