As a business owner, I like to try and understand human nature. What makes people tick, what makes them interested in something, and why do some talented people succeed while other talented people go ignored? Sometimes I think it is all up to chance not talent – you often see very unskilled people gaining huge followings. I believe they gained those followers purely because of herd mentality.
I never want to seek fame. As an artist, all I want to do is quietly sit in a corner and paint. I’ll stick my head out occasionally and brandish my art for whoever is passing by to see, because their reaction gives purpose to my hand’s work, but then I’ll retreat back into my cozy hole, away from the din and all the prying eyes. I was quite frustrated when I learned that to become successful with art, I’d have to learn how to take advantage of “herd mentality”, and I still shy away from the idea of doing this. I want to leave it up to chance.
With herd mentality, all one needs is to first get the attention of several people. Those people paying attention will many times then grab the attention of more people, and a snowball effect happens. People automatically feel like they can trust someone who has the attention of hundreds or more people. It’s like we subconsciously think all the people who came before us have vetted that person and deemed them safe, so we can do the same. Then on the other hand, there is the unsafe person that gathers tons of attention too, and people follow them because we have a fascination with something that is perceived as a threat or something that shakes our beliefs. We gravitate to the famous and infamous because of herd mentality.
I was considering lately how bad this kind of behavior is when it comes to our faith. Instead of searching out things for ourselves, sometimes we gravitate to a belief because of how many others believe it. If they believe it, surely they studied it, tested it, and found it to be solid, right? This is how many people get sucked into cults, not because they truly believe all that the cult teaches, but because they feel secure in the fact that thousands or maybe millions of others are believing it. They haven’t bothered to do a deep study and test all those beliefs to scripture. It takes the Holy Spirit to truly convict and teach us, but many of us are relying on man and their own convictions. Do you change your beliefs because someone presented a belief to you and backed it up with their choice of scripture, or do you change your beliefs only after you’ve studied and studied the scriptures yourself, praying, fasting, and seeking only God during the time of conviction?
When I left Mainstream Christianity and began fellowshipping with those in the Torah community, I started to realize just how careful we need to be of herd mentality. Occasionally, I’ll come across a person online who I really admire and respect because of how well they share truth that I agree on. Then months or years down the line, they’ll share that they’ve changed their beliefs, and I’ll be stricken. I was disturbed over how many times my admiration for them as well as seeing multiple other people following suit and changing their beliefs caused me to question scriptural truth. It reminds me of the story of the shepherd who was putting his flocks away one evening, and when the first sheep arrived at the gate, he put his leg in the way. The sheep jumped over his leg, and then he took his leg away. Every single sheep after that jumped over the spot because they saw the sheep ahead of them do it. I had sheep and goats myself, and I saw them do this kind of thing all the time. It’s amusing to watch this behavior in the animal kingdom, but in the world of theology it is so perilous.
When God compares us to sheep, I used to imagine it was just because of their vulnerability and need for protection from the wolves. Now I realize it’s also because of how stubborn and stupid sheep can be! Because of their herd mentality, they have a need to follow someone. Smart sheep will only follow the shepherd that they recognize. Stupid sheep will leave the flock and follow after other stupid sheep.
When I left Mainstream Christianity, I left the flock that is following the wrong shepherds, and now I am seeing just how carefully I need to question who it is I am currently following. We all should be following the one true Shepherd, but often times we get led astray while following self-nominated shepherds who are really just sheep like us who need to be lead just as much as anyone else. I keep hearing leaders say, "I am your shepherd, and you are the sheep," so that you understand they care about you and take their role seriously, but this is a very risky mindset for us to adopt because of herd mentality. There is only one Shepherd. These other shepherds will stray. They will be tempted by fame and wealth. They are human and will make mistakes. Following them like sheep will cause the entire herd to go astray. I keep watching it happen, and it is heartbreaking how many people end up hurt and wronged when the one they looked up to fails them. Make sure if you are in the back of the herd and are following someone in front of you, that that person is following the true Shepherd. Watch your own feet, don’t constantly watch the sheep in front of you. Always question which way your leaders are going, using scripture, and make sure you’re not just following them because of the temporary feeling of security that herd mentality gives you. Shalom!
Ezekiel 34:
And the Word of Yehovah was to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, to the shepherds, So says the Lord Yehovah: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who are feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you sacrifice the fat ones, and you do not feed the flock. You have not made the weak strong; and you have not healed the sick, and you have not bound up the broken. And the banished have not been brought back, and you have not sought the lost, but you rule them with force and with harshness. And they were scattered for lack of a shepherd. And they became food to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep strayed through all the mountains and on every high hill. And My sheep were scattered on all the face of the earth, and none searched, and none sought for them.
For this reason, shepherds, hear the Word of Yehovah: As I live, declares the Lord Yehovah, surely because My sheep became a prey, and My sheep became food for all the beasts of the field, from not having a shepherd, and because My shepherds did not search for My sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed the flock, so, O shepherds, hear the Word of Yehovah: So says the Lord Yehovah: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My sheep from their hand and cause them to cease from pasturing the sheep. And the shepherds shall no longer feed themselves, for I will deliver My sheep from their mouth, and they will not be food to devour.
For so says the Lord Yehovah: Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks his flock in the day that he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out My sheep and will deliver them from all the places where they were scattered in a day of cloud, and thick cloud. And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the lands, and I will bring them to their land and feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the dwelling places of the land. I, even I, will feed them in a good pasture, and on the high mountains of Israel their fold shall be. They shall lie there in a good fold, and they shall feed in a fat pasture, all the mountains of Israel. I will feed My sheep, and I will make them lie down, declares the Lord Yehovah. I will seek the lost, and I will return the banished. And I will bind up the broken, and I will make the weak strong. But I will destroy the fat and the strong, I will feed them with judgment.
And you, My flock, so says the Lord Yehovah: Behold, I judge between lamb and lamb, between rams and he goats. Is it a small thing to you to have fed on the good pasture, but you must trample the rest of your pastures with your feet? And have you drunk of the clear waters, but the rest you must foul with your feet? And My sheep, what your feet have trampled, they must feed on, and they drink what your feet have fouled. So the Lord Yehovah says this to them: Behold, I, even I, will even judge between the fat lamb and the lean lamb. Because you have thrust with side and with shoulder, and have pushed all the weak with your horns until you have scattered them to the outside. I also will save My flock, and they shall no longer be for a prey. And I will judge between lamb and lamb. And I will raise up over them one Shepherd. And He shall feed them. My servant David, He shall feed them, and He shall be their Shepherd. And I, Yehovah, will be their God, and My servant David shall be a ruler among them. I, Yehovah, have spoken.
And I will cut a covenant of peace with them and make evil beasts cease out of the land. And they shall live in the wilderness securely and sleep in the forests. And I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will bring down the shower in its season, there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall give its fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase. And they shall be securely on their land. And they shall know that I am Yehovah when I have broken the staffs of their yoke, and have rescued them from the hand of those who enslaved them. And they shall not any more be a prey to the nations, and the beast of the land shall not eat them. But they shall live securely, and no one shall terrify them. And I will raise up for them a noted planting place, and they shall not any more be of those gathered by famine in the land. And they shall not any more bear the shame of the nations. And they shall know that I, Yehovah their God, am with them, and they are My people, the house of Israel, declares the Lord Yehovah. And you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are men. I am your God, declares the Lord Yehovah.
Mark 10:42-45 But having called them near, Jesus said to them, You know that those seeming to rule the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to become first, he shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
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