Made to Be in a Flock
Every year when I see the first signs of spring, my thoughts immediately turn to sheep. For me, these wooly creatures perfectly represent the new life of springtime - most obviously, because it's the peak "lambing season" when most farm lambs are born. Less obviously, because it's the time of year when we celebrate Easter – Jesus the shepherd becoming a sacrificial lamb – laying down His life for the sheep.
My love of sheep began several years ago after interacting with a group of them on a farm in Sweden. Afterward, I noticed how much God compares humans to sheep in the Bible. I can understand why He chose this animal, from among all the possibilities, to help us better understand ourselves and our relationship with Him. In many ways, we are like sheep – always going astray, needing a shepherd to protect and guide us, and preferring the familiarity of those we know. Like sheep, humans are also flocking animals – designed to live in a community.
Shepherds know that sheep should never be kept in isolation – ideally, a group of four to five is the minimum number necessary for their emotional health. When sheep are alone, they tend to panic. In one study, scientists separated sheep into individual pens in a forest. The researchers discovered that the animals' stress hormones rose significantly, and their blood pressure skyrocketed. Animals were then shown images of other sheep or even goats, and though they didn’t return to normal levels, all measures of various stress responses showed significant reductions. The sheep even tried to move closer to the pictures.*
Besides needing the company of other sheep, these animals instinctively know that they have greater security when they're together. Because their eyes are on the sides of their heads, sheep have a minimal range of vision. They count on fellow flock members to help monitor all directions for threats.
People may also experience feelings of isolation and panic when separated from others for extended periods, like during the pandemic. Having a connected group of fellow humans helps avoid physical and emotional dangers. And through the eyes of others, we can often see what we can't on our own – blind spots in our behaviors, relationships, and spiritual lives that may need correction. But perhaps most importantly, banding together and spending time with others helps us to grow, experience joy, and escape loneliness. These are all vital to each individual’s spiritual maturity and the health of the flock, also known as “the church.”
Many depend on technology as a principal source of connection (and worshipping online was a lifeline to many during the pandemic). But, even before the pandemic lockdowns, reports of loneliness have been escalating worldwide, and technology is often a primary culprit. Technology helps us stay in touch, but seeing people mainly on screens has a quality of emptiness. Two-dimensional communication doesn't provide vital social and emotional cues or opportunities that help us fully know, understand, and care for one another. We want and crave in-person contact. Especially as believers, we need to interact with other people in the physical realm, not just the virtual one.
“Solitude in moderation is a good thing, but withdrawing too much from others can be a form of selfishness.”
Still, carving out some space for ourselves is healthy. Even sheep need about one acre of land each for grazing. And, if kept in an enclosure with other sheep, minimum space requirements are necessary to ensure good health. For humans, the same is true; solitude in moderation is a good thing. Alone time is a gift that provides time for reflection, rest, and refreshment. As we engage with the world, carving out time alone to fill our tanks is essential. I know this because it’s the example Jesus showed us. He withdrew to “desolate places” to spend time with His Father. This practice helped prepare Him to be an excellent friend, to love strangers, and to do good work.
But too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Withdrawing too much from others can be a form of selfishness: preventing gifts and abilities from helping others, burying our witness, and not contributing to the building up of the church.
It’s true that increased interactions with others, whether sheep or human, mean more opportunities for conflicts to erupt. Nevertheless, the many benefits of Christian community make it worth any effort to learn to live together in peace.
Quietly working or relaxing at home is not wrong, and I enjoy it, but it can be tempting to err on the side of either too much alone time or not enough. However, with healthy boundaries in place, I know God wants us to overcome the challenges and fears of interacting with others to participate in the world more fully. He clearly says to help carry others' burdens, looking not just to our interests but to the interests of others, to care for the widows and the orphans, and to lay down our lives for our friends. We can’t live out those purposes without being physically present. We have to take care also to separate ourselves to allow God to refresh and refuel our souls.
During isolating seasons of life, it’s easy to feel like a sheep, alone in the woods. In other seasons (like with teenagers in the house), we might feel like sheep in too-tight quarters. But no matter the season, we are better together. The world benefits from the gifts each of us brings, and God calls us to share them. We are the sheep of His pasture. He made us into flock animals for a reason. And He’s never wrong.
*Pilcher, Helen. “Friendly Faces Calm Stressed Sheep.” Nature. Aug. 24, 2004. March 1, 2021. https://www.nature.com/news/2004/040823/full/040823-7.html.