I wish to pay tribute to my bishop and all shepherds of the flock. Though bishops hail from a variety of backgrounds, temperaments and talents, their lives and service have touched me and others in countless and eternal ways. Here are five reasons I love my bishop.
1. He sees. My bishop sees beyond jealousy, anger, pride and physical appearance. He sees the heart. Because he sees with a shepherd’s eye, he understands we have all come far from snug cribs. He knows that each life has value, and each is a valued life. Though dreams and the cost of dreams differ from individual to individual, my bishop sees only a precious son or daughter of God, and seeing, he soothes.
2. He is charitable. I can’t count the countless hours and late nights demanded from the shepherd of the ward. Since bishops are also husbands, fathers, sons and brothers, the strain on family time and the burdens they bear are immense. My bishop places God and others before himself. He teaches me that charity is not merely an act of kindness, but a cellular attribute of character. When I think of my bishop, the first thing that comes to mind is not what he accomplishes, but who he is.
3. He is wise. Some of my bishops were college graduates, others struggled to graduate high school, but all were scholars; all spoke the language of the spirit. My bishop is wise because he knows the heavens are open. When faced with the seemingly insurmountable, he seeks and receives direction from heaven. He guides others to Jesus and shows them that heaven’s door is open to all who knock. “I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart” (1 Kings 3:12).
4. He is a sentinel. My bishop guards the gates of the Holy Temple. I am grateful for a judge in Israel to whom I can report my worthiness to enter the Lord’s house. Without my bishop standing tall as a sentinel of heaven, I could not secure the bonds of eternal family ties. I love my bishop for keeping my confidences and trusting me to exercise the gift of agency in self-reporting my standing with the Lord. My bishop is also a sentinel for the sacred tithes and offerings. He helps the helpless and guards the dignity of those in need.
5. He loves Jesus. My bishop reflects the Savior’s love in the way he treats others, especially his wife and children. Serving without pay, my bishop pays the price of daily discipleship. He represents Jesus in counsel and councils, in straight talk and gentle correction. He is a “do as I do disciple,” not a “do as I say” pretender.
If you love your bishop as I love mine, ease his burdens. Accept his counsel, honor his wife, be a friend to his children. Respect his family time. Call his home less, call on those in need more. Be the best home and visiting teacher you can be. Most of all, in word and deed, be an “example of the believers” (1 Timothy 4:12).
God bless my bishop and all shepherds of the flock.
