This particluar topic is borne out of an unexpected lesson the past few days. Allow me to explain.
Yesterday, on my way driving home, I saw two vultures hovering over the carcass of a dead deer. I was a bit taken back by the sight. It was my first time ever seeing something like that. Yes, I'm a city girl with a country heart, and being new to the great outdoors, this was a wake up call to life in the country. Today, as I drove out on my way to work, that deer hadn't moved an inch (it was dead, of course) but neither had those vultures. In fact, what was yesterday only two vultures feeding on the carcass, there were now nearly a dozen. There was no fuss, no fight. They all munched peaceably on the carcass of the deer in the light of the cold morning.
Now, as a prophetic minister and pastor in the making, I had to ask, "God, what meaneth this? What is the lesson here?" This is what He had to say:
"Vultures feed on dead things. Visionaries feed on living things."
God began to share with me further on the topic:
"When you feed on dead things, things of the past, nothing around you can grow. You get stuck there. Vultures become stagnant, and soon other vultures begin to flock. They too begin to feed on those things. They begin to share in what appears to be a fellowship until there are no more dead things. Then, they begin to disband, and go their own way. Visionaries on the other hand feed off their faith. They focus on the life-giving Word of God, and seek after what God is continually saying about their vision. They continue to move forward, pressing toward the prize that God has set for them. Visionaries are not vultures."
Here are some facts about vultures:
Vultures are such efficient feeders that they can pick the body of a small
animal clean in less than half an hour. Some vultures go one step further by
eating the bones as well, thus making sure no part of a meal is wasted.
They bask after their meals.
They have keen eyesight.
Initially they fight and bicker over feeding spots. For the
most part, many vulture species are relatively silent, but not when it comes to
a prime place at the dinner table.
Many species of vultures feed together with little competition, because they do
not feed on the same kind of meat within the carcass.
I said to myself, "God, what does this mean?"
"Vultures represent the spirit of the Hireling. Hirelings are looking for those who operate in dead things (works, habits, continual sin) so that they may feed there. Hirelings initially fight over the carcass (people who can be lead astray), but will become partners, realizing they can each have their own species of unregenerated folks. They will strip the easily decieved clean and leave them with nothing in the end. When the mission is complete, they may abandon the flock, start another flock, or cite "irreconcilable differences". They are only leading for their own benefit."
As a Next Generation Leader, I encourage you to do a self-check, as I continue to do. It is vital to those 0-30 that you make sure that you are operating in the capacity of Servant-Leader. If we would judge and evaluate ourselves, we would not be judged.
Let's Pray:
Lord, as we carry on this work of leadership, let us be the Visionaries you are calling for. Help us to equip the next generation so that they would not be victimized by the Vulture, the Spirit of the Hireling, in Jesus name, Amen.
