Meditations on Ovinity

In contemporary American culture, "sheep" is a derogatory term. To call people "sheep" is to say that they are stupid, incapable of independent thought, unable to care for themselves, and prone to self-destruction if left unattended. For a culture that values independence, individualism, and self-sufficiency, it's hard to imagine a more insulting word.

But Christianity has never been about following societal standards, and this is no exception. Christ calls Himself "the Good Shepherd," and his followers are called sheep. One of the most beloved psalms uses the same imagery: "The Lord is my shepherd...He leads me." That which is a slander for the world is for us a comfort.

Yet, while this language conveys the positive senses of peace and rest, it also carries all the implications of the pejorative use. But those implications are accurate descriptions: We humans are stupid, easily misled, unable to truly care for ourselves, and prone to self-destruction. What's more, the world is full of hungry wolves, swift rivers, and sharp cliffs: physical, emotional, and spiritual dangers that we can't deal with on our own. We need the support of our "flock" of fellow men; even more, we need the protection of our Shepherd.

Left to ourselves, we would starve in the wilderness; our Shepherd leads us to green pastures. Left to ourselves, we would fall before the predators of the world; our Shepherd drives them away. Left to ourselves, we would be lost in the darkness and the valleys and the pits; our Shepherd guides us on safe paths.

How great is the love of God, who provides for us and cares for us! But that care and protection only work when we submit to God; the shepherd cannot care for his sheep if they do not obey his commands. Sheep must submit, but submission is their surest way to full and abundant life.

But this is very hard for us, because it's contrary not only to our cultural zeitgeist, but also to our own fallen human nature. We recoil from the idea of obeying another, agreeing with Milton's Lucifer that hellish sovereignty is better than heavenly submission. So we pour ourselves into worldly pursuits, fighting desperately to control forces we can't even understand. We pretend we can solve all of our problems (and most of our neighbors' problems, as well), and sometimes it even seems to work. But we can't keep it up. We drive ourselves to exhaustion, or drive others away, or come upon an obstacle too big for us to overcome. Then the flood waters rise, and the sandy foundations of our lives can't hold up. We find ourselves faced with the sheep's choice: We can stubbornly maintain our own course, or we can yield to the Shepherd. As with the sheep, submission is our only way to full and abundant life.

When we recognize the impossibility of independence and accept the necessity of reliance on God, only then are we truly free to be what we were meant to be. Our souls restored, our cups overflowing, we rest in the Lord's presence, and find peace.



(A note on the title: I didn't think I coined the word "ovinity," but I haven't been able to find it in the usual online reference sources. That said, it's not without precedent: ovinity is to ovine as bovinity is to bovine.)

Praise God for Small Mercies

This was the sixth consecutive week in which I've had to either turn in a paper, take a test, or both; my biggest paper of the semester is due in two weeks.
But next week is Easter Break.

Two of my friends from church have been diagnosed with lymphoma.
But treatment has started, their spirits are good, and they have lots of support.

My dad was in a car accident last week.
But he is unharmed, and the car is repairable and insured.

I was summoned for jury duty today.
But I was dismissed, duty served.

Between the stress, the sleep deprivation, and the emotional roller-coasters, it's been a rough few weeks.
But God is my strength.

Good Friday is tomorrow.
But Easter is on Sunday.