Yes, only a compassionate Lama, who is a Buddha, will return again and again to samsara to help and guide us towards total liberation from suffering and complete Buddhahood. There is no one else who cares for us and can care for us with such limitless compassion and using such infinitely skillful means.
To make direct connections with our totally deluded minds, the Lama (of infinite compassion) will choose to incarnate in a form and under conditions and circumstances of great suffering (that we, with our deluded minds, can relate to and understand); and , like a true Bodhisattva, he will take this suffering into his path of practice. Thus, by a path of suffering, does he come to us to help us overcome our suffering and the causes of our suffering.
My Lama sees my weaknesses and flaws more clearly than I (with my mind of delusions) can see them. He then uses his skillful means to help me work on them and overcome them. If my laziness kicks in and my mental afflictions rage and create havoc with me, until I cannot see the wood for the trees, he will still patiently endeavor in different ways to help me get past all my mental obstacles.
When he knows I need a tangible show of kindness (in case I loosen my grip of faith or trust in him), he quickly comes on the scene and displays his infinite kindness in ways that open up my heart and my mind in eternal gratitude and indebtedness to his infinite compassion.
His kindness is without agenda, and he shows equal compassion to all. This means that every one of his students receives the same infinite love and compassion from him. So my Lama embodies what is said in the final verse of Shantideva's Bodhicharyavatara (Dedication Prayer):
"For as long as space remains,
For as long as sentient beings remain
Until then may I too remain
To dispel the miseries of the world."
Thus do Holy Beings return as Lamas again and again for the sake of all.