Acts 20:28-31

Some shepherds are really wolfs.  Do not take my word for it; Paul said it.  He is speaking to the leaders of the different house churches at Ephesus.  He tells them to be shepherds of God’s church.  He gives them the task to watch over the flocks, of which the Holy Spirit had made them overseers.  He also tells them that while keeping watch over the flock, they must also keep watch over themselves.

Paul is aware of, and warns them, of danger.  The danger they face is the same danger all caregivers face.  They run the risk of giving so much time and energy to others, that they do not leave any time for their own relationship with God.  It is easy to think that doing good is enough to keep yourself righteous; it is not.  Righteousness is not about doing good things; righteousness is about maintaining a good relationship.  No matter how much good you do, if you do not maintain a right and healthy relationship with God you are not righteous.  This would seem obvious to anyone who has ever been in a good relationship, yet we are all human. We have a tendency to allow work to push out the more important things in life; husbands and wives do it, mothers and fathers do it, and unfortunately, ministers and Christians do it as well.

Even though he has warned them they need to oversee themselves, Paul knows that some will fail to do so.  He tells them that some of their own number will arise and distort the truth to draw disciples after themselves.  When shepherds break their relationship with God, they become wolves.  They go from protecting the flock to fleecing and exploiting the flock.  They turn from glorifying God to glorifying self.

Shepherds are responsible to lead in paths of righteousness, but Christians are responsible for whom they choose to follow.  Wolves and shepherds are not the same.  Wise Christians do not follow wolves in shepherd’s clothing.