Strengthened by Graceਨਮੂਨਾ

Do Your Best

Savage Mountain, K2, located on the border of China and Pakistan, is the second-highest mountain peak in the world. It earned its nickname, Savage Mountain, due to the difficulty of its ascent. It has the second-greatest fatality rate of the towering peaks in the world. One out of every four people attempting to summit K2 has died. Summiting this mountain successfully requires an experienced, trustworthy Sherpa. Choosing a Sherpa would be a matter of life and death. Paul was an excellent leader, preacher, teacher—he was a world-class “Sherpa”—a humble man willing to live and die for the gospel. He was an example to Timothy of all he taught.

What is a Sherpa? The term “Sherpa” originally referred to a people group who migrated from Eastern Tibet to Nepal; now there are trek and climbing sherpas from other ethnic groups too. If one plans to travel beyond the base camp to the summit, a highly specialized and extraordinarily experienced Sherpa is necessary. Climbing high altitudes up to the summit is dangerous and requires significant knowledge, wisdom, strength, and expertise. We can easily understand why an excellent and knowledgeable Sherpa is crucial and how one would want the best and most trustworthy guide to navigate the safest route in unpredictable weather conditions.

What is a pastor other than a leader and a shepherd, a “Sherpa,” leading his people on an eternal expedition? When looking for a church to join, we want to choose a pastor who will lead his flock, as Paul describes in 2 Timothy. We may be tempted to choose one who is charismatic, engaging, intelligent, and affable. But it is most important that he loves the Lord and exalts His Word above all in all things (Ps. 138:1-3). Ask the Lord, “Is he a wise, humble, and obedient follower of Christ and a caring shepherd of his flock?”

Why is it so important that we listen attentively to Paul’s commands for pastors and elders? Paul makes the credentials of a true teacher clear so we can select a godly leader to follow, not one who itches our ears, feeds our appetites, or tickles our funny bones. We are not all called to fulfill these roles, but God calls us to choose a godly “Sherpa” to follow.