Choosing Differently

One of my all time favorite “viral internet videos” depicts a sheep that has found itself stuck within a deep trench, one that had apparently been dug deeply and narrowly to fit a large pipe. The sheep is helplessly stuck and cannot move, until a young boy climbs down into the trench with the sheep. He cautiously takes a leather strap and uses it to pull the sheep’s hind leg up to the surface where he positions himself to now remove the sheep. Struggling at first the young boy pulls on this sheep’s hind leg, slowly inching him up to the surface backwards, until eventually the animal is free and grabs onto the surface dirt with it’s front legs. The sheep immediately leaps (in what appears to be joy) and begins running forward alongside the trench, only twenty or so feet later leaping into the air and landing face first directly into the trench. It is, in my opinion, one of the most hilarious videos that so perfectly captures the essence of who we are as humans. We are, as scripture describes, sheep. We are sheep who have a loving and good shepherd to guide us, and yet we almost inexcusably find ourselves leaping out of the arms of our Savior and immediately back into the very trouble we were just previously rescued from. The situation in the video described above is so ridiculous that to imagine for a moment that we are much like this sheep…is almost offensive to us. But perhaps if we could see ourselves as sheep guided by a loving Shepherd, we might then choose to live, think, feel, respond, react, and behave differently.

The book of Psalms describes in what is perhaps one of the most widely known passages, Psalm 23, a relationship between the sheep and the good shepherd. The shepherd guides, protects, loves, cares for, leads, and provides for his sheep. I would encourage you to take a few minutes today as you read this, and reread Psalm 23; after each verse pause and ask yourself one simple question, “What does this verse tell me about the character of God?” You will find that our shepherd does all of the things that a sheep needs, describing our relationship therefore as dependent on Him. Sheep cannot provide for themselves, they would be defenseless against most predators, they instead must rely on a loving shepherd to protect them and provide for them. Sheep cannot be the leaders of the group because quite simply they do not know the best way, instead they must have a shepherd who is wiser then they, to lead onward while they follow. And if we are truly humble and honest, sheep just aren’t that bright; they get lost, they fall in holes, and they ignorantly separate themselves from the herd. For all of these reasons and more, they must have a good shepherd to lead them, and they in turn must trust, obey, and follow this shepherd.

But beyond the basic nature of the relationship between sheep and shepherd, the video described above highlights another important issue that we must address. The sheep was rescued and almost immediately plunged itself into the very danger it was just nearly rescued from. The nonsensical nature of the video is what makes it so hilarious and almost unthinkable. But in fact, it this very nature of the sheep that make’s you and I so alike to them. Take a moment and reflect on a habit, a behavior, a thought or some other thing that you would like to change in your life. Perhaps something that impacts your health like smoking or drinking. Maybe it is something along the description of your finances, a spending habit or lack of savings. Maybe you think of something in your relationships that seems to keep getting in the way. Now ask yourself honestly, how many times have I attempted to change this thing, only to find myself right back where I started? If we are truly vulnerable here we might recognize that this describes many facets of our lives, where we sometimes even concede that this is simply, “who I am”, that is, a person who cannot change this thing. I believe the answer for us in these situations, is found in the gospels, as Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray:

“9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” -Matthew 6:9-13

Did you catch the final verse of the prayer that Jesus teaches? He does not say, “Lead us into temptation and gives us the strength to resist it.” Instead he advises his disciples to prayerfully ask that the Lord lead them away from temptation and thus to be delivered from evil. You see you and I have this unfortunate habit of thinking that to change or overcome something, we must be able to face it, stare it down, and not give into it. But if that was conventional wisdom or in any way accurate, alcoholics would be encouraged to visit bars with regularity, drug addicts would be encouraged to keep their dealers on speed dial, and those trying to lose weight would be encouraged to fill our pantries with high fat-content sugary snacks. But none of those descriptions above would be considered wise, and in fact wisdom would always recommend that in all of those situations, the individual in question should separate themselves as far from the known problem as humanly possible. Yet instead we often times in life want, desire and seek change, only to place ourselves right back on the path we began on and directly into the place from which we once again need rescuing.

If there was any doubt prior to this, my hope and prayer is that you can begin to see with clarity that we are in fact akin to the sheep in the video. We are rescued from the dark and hopeless place, only to throw ourselves furiously back into it. The good news my dear reader is that you and I have a good shepherd who will lead us in a different direction. If we are willing to follow his lead, he will guide us through difficulties, suffering, joy and celebration. The difference of course, is whether we are willing to follow him rather then chart our own course. To choose differently requires submission to the shepherds lead, trust in his wisdom, and humility to accept that we would otherwise be hopeless. So I entreat you and encourage you, choose differently today; choose to follow the lead of the shepherd, to change how you think and act, and to remove yourself from any and all temptations that might lead you back down the struggling path. And if you need a good laugh today, just watch this funny sheep video.