Watching over souls
The charge to spiritual leaders
Hebrews gives a startling description of what leaders are actually doing: they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Not over budgets first, or programs, or buildings — over souls. And not casually, but as people who will one day stand and report on how they cared for the lives entrusted to them.
The writer adds a tender note: let them do this with joy and not with groaning. The way the led respond shapes whether soul-watching is a delight or a grief. But the account is coming either way.
“They watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account.”
— The writer to the Hebrews — Hebrews 13:17 (WEB)
Lead as one who must give an account — chiefly for souls, not just results. The people in your care, not your metrics, are what you will answer for.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things in the body according to what he has done.”
The writer fixes the leader's eyes on a coming account for souls, which reorders every priority. A leader formed here treats the people entrusted to him as the real charge, beneath and beyond the work they accomplish. He leads with the report he will give in view. The inner work is caring for souls as those you will answer for.
Keep the souls of your people, not only their output, central to how you lead. Make decisions you would be glad to report at the judgment seat, not just ones that hit a target. Watch over people attentively rather than managing them transactionally. Let the coming account shape today's care.
Leaders become experts at the work and forget they are watching over souls, optimizing metrics they will not finally be asked about. The blind spot is leading for results while neglecting the people you will actually give an account for.
Pick one person in your care and ask: am I leading them in a way I would be glad to report to Christ? This week, take one action that cares for their soul, not just their productivity.
It is possible to lead organizations expertly and forget that you are, finally, watching over souls — and that you will give an account not for your metrics but for the people.
If you will one day give an account for the souls in your care, are you leading them in a way you will be glad to report?