I am constantly reminded of how we as humans really are like sheep. We move in flocks, and what is popular to one becomes popular to the herd. When one moves, we all move, regardless of where we are going. I was thinking about this today as I saw a commercial endorsing Oprah’s new book club selection, A New Earth. I could spend hours writing about the heretical teachings found in this book, and I could spend hours writing about Oprah’s influence and the concerns I have for her faithful followers, BUT…I’m not going to, because my point is that we are like sheep.
At some point, we have to stop and acknowledge that we make decisions about what we listen to, read, watch on tv, and these decisions inevitably affect our thoughts, actions, beliefs, and values. I am amazed at how much my attitudes are affected by what I watch on tv. For example, I watch an episode of Reba (one of my fave shows), and I notice that I become a little more sarcastic with Ben. I watch Everybody Loves Raymond and I find that I relate to Deborah in my frustrations with family. Then I get annoyed and bitter at anything that doesn’t go my way. My point has nothing to do with the quality of these shows, rather my point is that I am like a sheep. I move when others move, and I am deeply affected by the things I put in my brain.
I guess this is why we are supposed to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. God knows we are like sheep, in fact He created us that way, but His concern is with who or what is shepherding us. If we allow things of the world (Oprah’s philosophies, tv, relativism, indifference, money, etc.) to move us, we are in great danger of getting too far away from His voice to hear Him when He calls.
My prayer for myself and for the world is that we will desire to move when HE moves…that our thoughts, beliefs, and actions will be aligned with the character and nature of the GOOD shepherd. I have no problem being a sheep, I just want to be one of His sheep.
