Beware of a Lemming Mentaility

 Beware of a Lemming Mentality…

Mary Ann Wray

Jesus said to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. In other words, He was basically saying to use wisdom and discernment while navigating this world-not to use threats or manipulation.

And using another modern metaphor… don’t be a lemming. If you blindly follow man you will fail! Deceptive practices are rife in the world. We all see how they have crept in the church, now they are creeping into social media platforms. The tell tale sign of deception is noted whenever there’s a push for money is some way, shape or form.

What’s the metaphorical connection?

A lemming is a small, round, furry rodent that lives in the Arctic tundra. They’re about the size of a mouse or hamster. They are not known for being intelligent. Lemmings often move in huge groups during population booms. When they migrate, they will run in one direction even when it becomes dangerous. They may fall off cliffs or drown in water because they’re following raw instinct, not seeing any danger. They can’t do complex problem-solving, have advanced memory or learning, make strategic decisions or evaluate threats the way smarter animals do such as snakes, elephants and lions, just to name just a few.

A lemming represents someone who:

• Blindly follows the crowd or a leader

• Does what everyone else is doing without thinking and seeing signs of danger

• Follows leaders or booming trends to their own harm

• Shows conformity without independent judgment.

If you are a born again, child of God, we are commanded to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:13). In other words, personal sanctification and discipleship is each of our own responsibilities. There’s something in all of us that wants to be accepted and loved, but when we put our discernment faculties on the back burner at the expense of being accepted, and part of a herd, we will suffer for it.

Many people followed Jesus for his miracles and blessings, but there were only a few that remained with him up to his crucifixion. There is a price to pay for being a disciple of Jesus Christ. 

We’re not to depend on man to teach us everything we need to know about life. We are not to follow men blindly. Even the apostle Paul said “follow me as I follow Christ.” To follow the footsteps of Paul and Jesus Christ meant self denial, personal sacrifice, esteeming others better than one’s self, rejection from kinsmen,  rejection from certain spiritual leaders, being persecuted for speaking the truth of God‘s word, even imprisonment and eventual physical death for the cause of Christ.

How many spiritual leaders today are preaching this sort of gospel about “Not loving your life, even unto death?” No, we hear a lot about living your best life now, how to get ahead financially, not having a poverty mentality, how to believe your way into blessings etc. etc.

It is true that God provides for us as His children and blesses us. But so much of what is being preached in the western brand of Christianity defies the reality of living a crucified life, which is not easy on the flesh. 

How many teach you that you have received the anointing of Holy Spirit (1 John 2) who leads and guides you into all truth and you have no need for any man to teach you as they did under the Old Covenant? When you listen to, blindly follow, and depend on other flawed men to give you the bulk of information you need to live, without evaluating and measuring what they say against the whole counsel of God, you are possibly exhibiting a lemming mentality.

We are to judge all things and measure everything according to the word of God and most importantly, but most often ignored, are those inner checks of the Holy Spirit that warn us something is off. Those inner checks are the Father’s way of getting our attention and calling us to His heart for wisdom and guidance.

Many times we won’t fully understand why we have these inner checks at the time. They are the Holy Spirit‘s way of waving a red flag in our conscience. When we take these “checks” to the Lord in prayer and get in the word of God, for clarity, He will show you why you feel and sense things the way you do. He will confirm it several times over and even do it through others saying the same things that he’s been showing you through the word.

Too many are being deceived like little lemmings today because we have been taught to “follow” and never question those in perceived or real positions of authority. We are not to judge them in terms of going to heaven or hell, (That’s God’s job), but we are to judge their fruit and mark the ones who cause trouble.