The Shepherd as a Model of Leadership

In "Finding Peace in an Age of Anxiety," Mark Sayers points to David's formative years as a shepherd in the wilderness as a model of biblical leadership: "of a non-anxious presence, which is not dependent on reserves of personal power but on the presence of God – encountered in the isolation of the wilderness."

Sayers points out that in spite of being left alone, physically and relationally (the "runt of the family" and "an afterthought"), David's time watching sheep in the wilderness was profound. His character that could not be seen had been formed through David's encounters with God in the wilderness:

The where, when and how remains sealed in the precious hidden moments between God and David; what matters is the evidence we see, of a life that had encountered the presence of God in the wilderness. His isolation, which distanced him from others and was undoubtedly painful, also brought him closer to God.

Without God’s presence, the wilderness offers only isolation. With his presence however, it can offer us insulation from the deception of the crowd. Separate from the noise and alone in the wilderness, David found – and was formed by – the voice of God.

It is not isolation, the wilderness, or the sheep alone that formed David into the archetypical leader in the Bible—it was his time in God's presence:

We can only be a non-anxious presence when filled with God’s peaceful presence. Those who persist in this truth, who live and press into the presence of God, will find themselves being transformed into healing agents in our streets, workplaces, families and churches.

So, the shepherd-leader must be steeped in God's presence—taking time apart in solitude to be with God to exude God's peace in an anxious world.