Without “Good Shepherd Behaviours” like commitment, trustworthiness, and self-sacrifice, humanity will miss opportunities to prosper, bring equity, and maintain growth balance. Good Shepherd Behaviours foster commitment to a cause, enable trustworthiness and promote self-sacrifice to serve others.
As these behaviors decline, people suffer due to a lack of collaboration, credibility, and compassion. COVID-19 pandemic is an example of how Good Shepherd Behaviors boost immunity and increase hope in humanity. We need such behaviors more now than ever before.
What can I do?
It’s time to look at a different picture of Good Shepherd, not the one you saw of Jesus carrying the sheep over his shoulders. That picture hides the drama – an action that inspires – the risk involved to save others.
I admire an alternative picture of Good Shepherd’s behavior.
Paddy Larson, a friend invited me to attend an Alpha Meeting at the Anglican Church, in Berwyn, Alberta. After spending a splendid time with the group, I entered the Anglican Church and noticed a black and white picture of a Good Shepherd rescuing the sheep on the edge of a cliff.
That picture replaced the prototype I got accustomed to in my mind. The new image of the Good Shepherd invites us into behaviors of self-sacrifice, not just delicate like cuddling the sheep.
A differnet story of the Good shepherd
While preparing my sermon for the Good Shepherd Sunday, I read an old story about why Moses was chosen as a shepherd. Moses tendered Jethro, his father-in-law’s sheep. Once, a sheep ran away from the fold. Moses ran to catch the sheep.
The sheep came across a pool and stopped to drink water. Moses said to the sheep, “I didn’t know you ran away because you were thirsty. You must be exhausted.” Moses then put the sheep on his shoulders and walked back to the fold. The Holy One found Moses tending the sheep for other people. And as the story goes, Moses was called to shepherd Israel.
Good Shepherd Behavious in our context
In Good Shepherd Behaviours, the question – “What can I do for others?” become a motivating factor. While leaders propelled with “What’s in for me” drive humanity into self-annihilation.
Economics, Politics, and Technology, the 3G of our times, needs to adapt. Environment and humanity will move up on the hierarchy, erupting a global consciousness.
The economic theory emphasizes self-interest and skips the cost of self-sacrifice. Even opportunity costs ultimately will look after what you missed to gain something else for yourself.
Politics have to broaden the agenda-setting table, where “me and my party” may have to take a back seat. “Across party lines” is the new normal. The trade-off favors the environment and people. Welcome to the post-pandemic politics.
Technology will lower down negative externalities, change priorities from serving economic and political masters to global concerns. Without compromising the rights of individuals, the technology will prioritize the global community.
Good Shepherd behaviors permeate every field, not just individual life, in a group or a faith community. The only caveat is to watch out for fake shepherd behaviors that will misuse your positive actions for a selfish end.
Challenging times need a different narrative to triumph over the crises. The value of commitment, trustworthiness, and self-sacrifice to serve others will never crash like the stock market. When self-centered behaviors dump commitment, trustworthiness, and self-sacrifice, downturn becomes inevitable.
We will change it with Good Shepherd Behaviours.
Commitment, trustworthiness, and self-sacrifice promote oxytocin rather than an overdose of dopamine. Oxytocin generates a feeling of love, bonding, and well-being. Imagine economics, politics, and technology prioritizing these behaviors.
What do you think of the alternative Good Shepherd behaviors?
Something for you …
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