Sheep live in a flock and are passive grazers, feeding on whatever is readily available. One shepherd and a good dog can control hundreds of sheep. They follow him willingly to food and water sources of his choosing. If wolves attack they scatter and run but are easily caught because they are defenseless. The shepherd will defend them to a point but some will die, which is considered to be “acceptable losses.”
They wear pretty, warm coats but whenever the shepherd summons they obediently go to the shearing barn where they are stripped of their coats. Only the shepherd profits from their efforts. Turned out naked and cold they go right back to their established routine and grow another coat, once again for the gain of their shepherd.
When they are no longer useful the shepherd summons them once again. But this time the barn is the killing floor. They go obediently to the slaughter. The rest go on grazing.
People are sometimes referred to as “sheeple.” The protectors of society; law enforcement and the military, are sometimes called “sheep dogs.” Sheep dogs are trained to protect the sheep from predators such as wolves but not from the shepherd himself.
This is where analogy of the average person being a sheeple breaks down. Jesus is sometimes called the “Good Shepherd” because He leads us to good pasture and rescues us when we stray. People in Bible times could relate to the good part. But the part about shearing, profit and ultimate slaughter is left out.
Jesus did set the example for leadership. He led by instruction and by example. He trained His disciples to follow his lead and then to go into the world and reproduce what He had taught them. (Matthew 28) His disciples were in no way sheep.
The government of the United States and its three branches, as defined by the Constitution, is designed to provide leadership to its citizens so that they might enjoy safety, security and stability in an environment where they can thrive and prosper. Men and women were meant to be leaders in their homes, churches, businesses and communities. The intention was that the government would remain small and not be involved in daily life except to the extent necessary to fulfill its duties and responsibilities.
That notion almost seems silly today. Government at all levels; federal, state and local, seems bent on meddling in every affair of its citizens down to the smallest detail. Further explanation is not needed!
What is ominous, however, is that our governments have largely abandoned the role of leadership and taken on the role of the wolf. And the people have abandoned the role of leaders producing leaders and have become sheep. This is the worst possible situation since the shepherd is nowhere to be found. The sheep dogs referred to earlier have taken on the role of keeping the sheep from slaughtering each other and may have to soon take on the role of protecting the sheep from the wolves in our governments.
“Unlike all previous political discourse, the question is a fundamental one: Is this country to remain the United States of America, pursuing the course of success as charted by America’s founders, or are the people ready to accept an entirely different type of society – based on alien ideas with a record of catastrophic failure?” (Balint Vazsonyi)
America is on a very dangerous course. Are the people ready to accept a different type of society? Do people even realize what that society will look like? History is full of examples but most people are ignorant of history.
A true patriot will never take up arms against his own country. He will take up arms to defend his country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The hard truth is that domestic enemies are American citizens who have chosen to destroy the foundations upon which this country was built. They may do so actively or passively but they are nonetheless enemies.
The elections of 2016 are going to be pivotal. The nation is more sharply divided than at any time since the Civil War. There are patriots who are willing to stand up and defend our country, there is a rogue government opposing them and there are a whole bunch of sheep in the middle. The outcome is far from certain.