Is Placing Priority on Soul Care and Excuse for Ease?

IS PLACING PRIORITY ON SOUL CARE AN EXCUSE FOR EASE?

Investing in the care of souls could be perceived as self-service. It is not. Rather, it grows from the realization that true leadership must first embody the vision it calls others to seek. To do this, we must organize our lives in ways that allow for practices and rhythms that nurture the transformation within us that we seek for others. We must prioritize our downward growth into Christ above the upward growth of achievement, even in very worthy undertakings.

This kind of leadership recognizes that the most valuable gifts we can offer to others rise from transformation and health within our own soul. What others most need from us – whether our clients, staff, family or friends – is not merely well-run programs, articulate statements, or skillful management, important as these things are. What others need from us most of all is simply this: to encounter the loving presence of Jesus Christ in and through us.

We can never hope to offer the grace, attentiveness and tender care of Jesus if we are not being steadily transformed into His image. This change within is the wellspring of all other aspects of Christian leadership as well, from vison, creativity and wisdom to sacrificial service and bold risk-taking.

To be clear, the point is never that leaders have any excuse to live pampered lives. True Christian leadership models sacrifice and self-denying service, even to death itself. The CAFO ethos is woven of focus, self-discipline and hard work. Like Paul, we want to pour all that we are into the mission God gives us – “straining toward what is ahead, I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me.”21

At the same time, we are not timid in establishing commitments and habits that nurture the health of the soul. This is not, at its heart, “self-care.” If we were merely to care for ourselves, the result would be far less than we need. No, this vision is fundamentally about receiving God’s care. We are merely turning with hands open to our heavenly Father, who alone can sustain us.

Our boldness in creating a strategic plan like this is rooted in this and this alone: our deep and abiding confidence in the goodness of God and His desire to care tenderly for us. This marvelous truth shimmers on every page Scripture – from the Law22 and the prophets23, to the Psalms24, to the Gospels25 and Epistles26 .

He is our Good Shepherd and we are the people of His pasture.

21 Philippians 3:12 22 Consider the “mandate” that God’s people enjoy the rest and celebration of feasts and festivals throughout the year (including the Passover, Weeks/Pentecost and Tabernacles/Tents – see Leviticus 23:1-2), or God’s requirement that even beasts of labor be provided opportunity to eat while working (Dt. 25:4.) Perhaps even beyond all this, Jews regard the supreme example of God’s care and provision to be the “festival” we are invited to celebrate every week, a weekly Sabbath. 23 The prophets, even in moments of terrifying judgement, express continually an invitation to return to God’s forgiveness, provision and care. As Jeremiah expresses it, “If you repent, I will restore you…” Perhaps no prophet captures this vision more poignantly than Isaiah, “[God] tends His flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads those who have young.” (Isaiah 40:11). 24 The Psalms overflow with expressions of God’s tender mercy and care, from his shepherd-like nurture of his people – making us lie down in green pastures, leading us beside still waters, restoring our soul (Psalm 23) – to his concern for all living things. “The Lord is good to all. He has compassion on all He has made.” (Psalm 145:9) 25 Jesus invites us always into his care and rest. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30). He modeled this in the compassion he felt and expressed for those around him – continually feeding and healing, comforting and encouraging, and inviting the disciples to “come away with me…and rest.” (Mark 6:31) Jesus also conveyed this care in poignant metaphors of his relationship to his followers, ranging from shepherd to husband to mother hen. 26 Like the rest of Scripture, the Epistles speak frequently and movingly of God’s tender compassion and care, both directly and through His people. We see this from the images of Christ as our loving bridegroom to Paul describing his work among the Thessalonians as “like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.” (I Thes. 2:7).