Don't Be a Stupid Sheep

DON'T BE A STUPID SHEEP I think the use of sheep as a metaphor for people is unfortunate today. It is used in the Bible to describe God’s people in two ways. One is good and one is bad. When it is used in a good way to describe us, it illustrates how we are in a place of weakness and vulnerability, victims of neglect and even abuse. This is not a criticism of the sheep, but of the indifference or even cruelty of the shepherds who would lead us, or of the dangers this world presents. This is sometimes true. When it is used in a bad way to describe us, it is meant to illustrate how we are stupid, helpless, and lost. This is sometimes true. Unfortunately, the default use of the metaphor is to describe us in the bad way because it is the shepherds who are doing the preaching. When you’re called a sheep in this derogatory way every Sunday of every week for your entire life, it’s hard not to believe it and surrender your intelligence. Yes, we are sometimes stupid, helpless, and lost. But not always. We have brains. We can use them. We can take charge of our own lives. We can be the captains of our own ships. We can be the masters of our own destinies. We can think for ourselves. We can be spiritually independent.
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