Are we really sheep?

Are we really sheep?

By Michele Scott-Akanbi

Are we really sheep?  The recent election results in the UK has left me saddened with the current state of play in Britain.  I am saddened for the future of my students, the future of my elderly and disabled parents, as well as other vulnerable and poor groups.  Also saddened for my poor children, who have be born into such a broken, heartless, compassion-less, paranoid and xenophobic society, as black boys. 

There is very little that I can do to change the outcome of the election, however it is now time for me to shake it all off and move out of my despair and anger.  To move onwards and upwards in the ministry and calling that Christ has seen fit to use me as a vessel to share with my church, community, family, friends and Facebook.

This morning my quiet time was with the kids, watching “Superbook” with the children.  Yes, I know not quite what I said yesterday or even expected myself.  Nevertheless, the bible encourages us not to despise small beginning, because basically it is amazing what the Lord uses to share his message, it can be the still voice as discussed yesterday.  However it can equally be a children’s Christian cartoon.  So we were watching “Superbook” and our Heavenly Father impressed a number of thing upon me.  One was the vision and image of us as sheep.  At the weekend I was “whatsapping” with a friend about the recent election about the results and she mentioned that the British public were sheep, I had never thought about that being the reason for the outcome.  However once she said it, it resonated with me and made perfect sense.  We were scared, frightened sheep, merely following the flock and unable to think for ourselves, the British public were merely reacting to the situation they found themselves in with fear, hostility and panic.  It had been a knee jerk reaction, no thinking had come into it just a gut reaction to fear.

This morning the Lord impressed upon me, the spiritual significant of the election and sheepdom.  What is sheep behaviour?  The Sheep 101 website suggests that “Behaviour is defined as an animal's response to its environment. A basic understanding of sheep behaviour will make raising and handling sheep less stressful for both the sheep and shepherd. It will also dismiss the notion that sheep are a stupid animal.” http://www.sheep101.info/201/behavior.html.  Interestingly whilst researching this I also found an article which counters our common-sense perception of sheep, as dumb animals, who merely follow the flock and are unthinking.  Instead this article asserts that “Sheep do not behave 'like sheep' in the way most people imagine, research suggests.  When they follow the flock, they are not so much copying each other as acting on their own out of a sense of survival, London researchers found.

Scientists tested the 'selfish herd' hypothesis by strapping GPS satellite tracking devices to the backs of animals being rounded up by a sheep dog.  They confirmed that the sheep's herding behaviour was governed by an individual drive to escape danger.  A sheep at the centre of a herd is less likely to be eaten by a predator than one on the outside.”  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2177762/Breaking-away-flock-Sheep-behave-like-sheep-researchers-reveal.html

However, what does the bible say about our sheep like ness.  In Psalm 23, the Lord refers to us as sheep and he is our sheep, what is he really saying here.  “Psalm 23 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.

³ He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”   Firstly we can look at the fact that sheep are often perceived as dumb, directionless and defenceless animals and be offended that God thinks we are basically stupid and not good at making clear and concise decisions on our own. (http://www.challies.com/christian-living/dumb-directionless-defenseless) Remember last week’s election results before you get too upset with what is being shared here.  Or if the Lord is our Shepherd, however the focus here is more on the shepherd than on the sheep.  Thus, because God is our shepherd he looks after us and takes care of us, basically we are in need of nothing.  We lie or rest or relax in “green pastures”, fertile and lush land.  The spiritual place, where we live, move, grow and develop.  David A DePra notes the irony of such as passage because there are very few "green pastures" in the land of Israel. Moreover DePra notes that when “David as he wrote this Psalm under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He was really saying that if the Lord is our Shepherd, that He will provide for us in ways that the natural resources – in ways that this temporal life – cannot provide”. (http://www.goodnewsarticles.com/Jul03-2.htm)

So what am I really sharing here, we are sheep that’s a given, not the bravest or most innovative, however with Christ we do indeed have all these gifts.  Nevertheless we have an awesome and amazing shepherd, who ensures we have need of nothing, who provides the impossible and makes it possible.  He provides rest, he provides food and provision, and nurtures our faith.  I share this with you as much as myself, whatever you are going through today, learn and remember that we are merely sheep.  We have a protector and a defender who watches out for us, don’t worry your way through a situation.  Instead like the Psalmist said put your faith, confidence and trust in the Lord, he has got you back.  He restores you soul and leads you in paths of righteousness.  So my fellow sheep let’s trust in him and rest in the arms of the Almighty, knowing he will keep us, come what may.

Be blessed to be a blessing

IJN Amen