Stay In The Herd

A lone gazelle limps along slightly behind the rest of the herd, apparently from an injury suffered during that last leap over the stream.  The herd is moving rather quickly today, sensing something as yet unseen. As the camera cuts away to the lion hiding behind the tall grass, we all know what’s about to happen. It doesn’t look good for that gazelle.  Anytime you venture away from the herd, it is usually harder on you.  Have you been there?

When you step out of “the herd”, it can be tough.  When we isolate ourselves from good people it can be disastrous, just like that poor gazelle.  When we wander away from our “herd”, it is a catastrophe waiting to happen.  I am not just basing this on the Discovery Channel.  Listen to Peter in 1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” So the devil is prowling around looking for the weak, the one separated, isolated from the rest.  We make it even easier on him if we surround ourselves with bad people.  It is almost like a gazelle walking into a lion’s den.  I know it sounds crazy, but that’s exactly what we do when we get involved with people that we know will bring us down spiritually.  “Bad company corrupts good character.”  (1 Corinthians 15:33)

We have the greatest Shepherd that ever was who wants us to stay in the herd (or flock) we might say.  You see, when it comes to these things, we aren’t even as smart or fast as a gazelle. We are slow and kind of dumb, just like sheep.  Sheep need a shepherd, and we need Jesus, the good Shepherd.  Jesus said in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”   We need a shepherd to keep us in the flock and guide us in life.  Isolation for us means death.  David knew the life of a shepherd and wrote this about the good Shepherd in the 23^rd Psalm.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Let’s stay in the herd with the good Shepherd, Jesus.  I feel safe there.  Don’t you?

God Bless!