He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Psalm 23:3

As a new school year is upon us, I am reminded of a strange experience I had a few times when I was young. You no doubt experienced it as a child as well. That moment when you walked into the grocery store and saw your teacher pushing a cart full of food. Or perhaps you visited a restaurant and saw your principal with a spouse. Seeing school personnel entirely out of context is stunning for a child! The young mind tries to grasp that teachers and principals have a life outside the school building. As a child, it is quite mind-blowing.  

For many of us in church leadership, we can contextualize ourselves in the same way. We are the leaders. We are the ones offering encouragement, rest, and loving guidance. It can be a hard mental shift to take ourselves out of the role of giver and put ourselves into the role of receiver. But my friends, we need the same things we so often offer others. Our Heavenly Father abundantly provides everything we need for life and ministry but with a singular purpose in mind.  

The third verse of Psalm 23 tells us that every care we have falls under the provision of the Lord so that He might glorify Himself in our lives. Did you get that? True, we do kingdom work here on Earth, yet sometimes it can become unclear whose kingdom we are actually building. But Scripture is clear that each act of lovingkindness granted on our behalf is accomplished for the glory of our Leader and for His name's sake. We belong to His flock, and He is our Shepherd even as we shepherd others. Our priority must never be to love our church body for our own sake but to bring glory to His Name. Let's reintroduce the words of this very familiar verse with these thoughts in mind. 

He restores my soul 

Our Lord, the Shepherd, restores us. The word restore can have a dual meaning, referring to the return of one who has strayed in sin and also the reality of renewal and sustenance. When those in our congregation stray, we follow the example of our faithful Shepherd who sought after us and rescued us just as the shepherd in the parable of the lost sheep left the ninety-nine to search for the one (Matthew 18:12). The Lord seeks His people for His glory, each one precious in His sight. As church leaders and brothers and sisters in Christ, we should pursue and bring back others into the safety of the fold. Galatians 6:1 admonishes us, "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness." 

However, it is not always an issue of one who has strayed, but perhaps of a life that is strained. Ministry can be stressful, and in those seasons, we need renewal. Psalm 19:7 says, "The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." The Lord speaks to us and restores us by the work of His Word. What good is a green pasture of provision when our anxious minds have blinded us to it? We must continually keep our eyes alert to the corrective balm of Scripture as it drives us to personal repentance, removing the calluses of this world. This produces soft hearts, sensitive to the leadership of the Lord, so that we can in turn, be effective leaders for others. He offers the restoration we need to persevere in our spiritual journey. 

The truth is that sometimes, even as spiritual leaders of whatever flocks the Lord has given us, we lose our footing and may become discouraged. The temptation to focus on the strains of ministry gets the best of us. The cruelty of this world crushes us. At times, we simply feel knocked over by the storms in the valley. We need to be restored by our Shepherd.  

The sheep need their shepherd when they find themselves helpless and unable to get their feet back on solid ground. So do we! This is why we must remember that the heart of God is for His own. He does not merely tolerate us, nor is he indifferent to our needs. He loves us. Yes, sometimes we are slow to follow Him and quick to follow ourselves, and we veer off the path and become disoriented, just as sheep do. But it is at that greatest time of need that the patient kindness of our Shepherd restores us. 

Though we know and teach the whole counsel of God's character, it is easier for some to focus on His wrath. To be sure, the Lord disciplines those He loves, but He does not want you to fail. Instead, He tends to you.

The Lord is infinitely patient in His care and provision for you.

God is in no way indifferent to our shortcomings, yet He deals gently with us when we are contrite of heart, forgiving and restoring us (Psalm 103:11–14). The analogy of a shepherd is deliberate and meant to send a clear message. His watch-care over us is loving and restores our world-weary souls, providing a blueprint to ministry along the way.   

He leads me in paths of righteousness 

Those who know me recognize I have very little sense of direction. I often call my wife to help me get where I am trying to go. Mind you, I have lived in the same area all my life. No matter! Even in the metro area where I grew up, I easily get turned around and need help finding my direction. So do sheep!  

Sheep can wander and become lost even in familiar environments. The promise of the Lord's leadership in paths of righteousness is a comforting guarantee that He will instruct us where to go. As David penned in Psalm 16:11, "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." 

The promise of being led in paths of righteousness speaks not only to our direction but also to the desired destination. He not only leads us; He leads us to paths of righteousness. This is where we want to be. We experience true peace when we allow the Lord to lead. It does no good to take our own direction and end up in the wrong place! 

There are also times when directions take you where you do not want to go. Not long ago, I was preaching out of state and was invited to dinner at a friend's house. I had never been to his home, so I entered his address into my phone and followed the voice that gave turn-by-turn instructions. After driving for fifteen minutes and feeling I was heading in the opposite direction from where I should be going, I double-checked the address I had typed into my phone. Sure enough, I had accidentally clicked a previous address. The directions were accurate, but the destination was a place I did not want to be. Upon recognizing my mistake, I couldn't help but think of how often this happens in our lives. The world gives many directions for living your life, but none will lead you where only the Shepherd can. 

We are promised in the Word that our Lord not only gives us directions but leads us to the desired location. He guides us and leads us to paths of righteousness. And now we have come full circle. Why do we preach? Why do we teach? Why do we strive to raise Godly children or serve others in our local church body? Why do we humbly accept the restoration and correction of our Shepherd? The answer comes in the final phrase of this verse. 

For His Name's sake 

Since the beginning of time, people have questioned why we are here. What is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of an education? Children? A career? But, for we who are sheep, there is a purpose we must remember and a truth we must carry deep within our hearts. As believers, we know the answer to the biggest question in life. Our presence on Earth culminates in this: we live for the sake of His name. To glorify the Lord is our highest goal and the center of our existence. We must never forget that His name, not ours, should be our highest motivation. It is as vital as any truth you will ever know. He shepherds us for His name's sake! 

The Lord has made all things for the sake of His glory because He is the only one deserving of it. This does not mean that the Lord will glorify Himself by giving you a path free of suffering; no, we may be used as objects of His glory through our pain. He is free to glorify Himself in any way He chooses. 

Consider the words of Isaiah 48:11, "For my own sake, for my own sake I act, my glory I will not give to another," or of Romans 11:36, "From him, through Him, and to Him are all things, to Him be glory forever and ever." 

The Lord desires us to live for His glory, and this is good news for us because we find our ultimate joy in doing so. Your best response to your Shepherd is satisfaction in His provision, gratitude for His restoration, and trust as you walk carefully and diligently in His steps no matter the path He chooses for you. Our response is to bring Him glory, whether wealthy or poor, well-known or obscure. He has promised to provide all that we need. 

Let this portion of Scripture also serve as a warning: if you are not making His name's sake the goal of your life, you are living on a collision course with God's purpose! See that your desires in life, family, and ministry match your Shepherd's. The God that created all things is giving you direction; let that create within you a humble heart that is ready to trust and follow.  

As you strive to live for His glory, rest in Him, be restored by His Word, and walk in paths of righteousness.