Not long ago, I was with a group of people crossing a sometimes busy road. One quick and agile woman decided to cross the street without hesitation. Traffic loomed but the rest of the group decided to follow her lead — myself included.
At the tail end of this mass crossing were several of us that brought on screeching brakes and looks that insinuated our insanity. One of our endangered group breathlessly said, “We were like a bunch of lemmings following a leader without thought.” All of us responded with relieved laughter.
That evening I was chuckling to myself over the comical picture of us as lemmings when I pondered the matter a little more seriously. The lemming is an example to us.
Webster’s dictionary defines the lemming as: “Any of several small short-tail furry-footed rodents of circumpolar distribution that are notable for the recurrent mass migrations of a European form which often continue into the sea where vast numbers are drowned.” As we consider this description of one of God’s more peculiar creations, it would be wise to ask ourselves: “Do we follow that which is right or do we scramble dumbly toward certain drowning?”
God issues this warning, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment” (Ex. 23:2).
The world is full of snags and pitfalls. It is truly an act of faith to remain caring, loving and separate. It is easier to go with the flow, anxiously pursuing our immediate self-interests. Most people in the world go for the glory of the moment.
It is a sad spectacle as they rush to their own hurt, rejecting Christ as their leader. Peter said: “And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good?” (I Peter 3:13-14).
As the lemming makes its sudden run toward destruction, not a thought crosses its mind or surely it would change course. But God has given us the power of reason. He has given us His words of guidance to steer us properly so that we can avoid drowning in worldly waters.
With this in mind, “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1).
The only way to stay clear of certain destruction is to follow Christ’s example of seeking the kingdom that God has promised.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One