Who are you following?

One of the great indictments in the Old Testament is this:

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25 KJV).

They did what was right in their own eyes.

They followed themselves.

They did what they wanted, when they wanted, how they wanted. What they saw with their eyes is what they pursued (echoes of the fall?).

Except, isn’t it the case that doing “what is right in his own eyes” often means doing what everyone else is doing?

Doesn’t it usually mean going with the flow, losing yourself in the crowd, and following the herd?

In his book, What Is Spiritual Maturity? Jerry Benjamin makes this observation about the difference between sheep and cattle:

“Sheep live as a flock, whose focus is fixed upon the shepherd and they follow him. A herd, on the other hand, follow each other” (p. 30).

Sheep are rarely put forth as a picture of spiritual maturity, but in one respect they are: sheep follow the shepherd.

That’s your purpose, too.

Here is Benjamin again:

“Regrettably, the Church today has adopted the ‘herd’ mentality—rather than seeking Christ and obeying Him—we are looking to and modeling each other. As the ‘sheep of His pasture’ [Ps 100:3], the Shepherd is leading us, feeding us, and we are to be following Him—the Good Shepherd because He is the Faithful Shepherd” (p. 30).

Spiritual maturity means following Jesus, not the crowd. It means looking to Him for your provision, instead of depending on yourself. It means focusing on Him, and going where He leads you, trusting it will be to green pastures and quiet waters (Psalm 23).

Who are you following?

The crowd? The culture? Other people?

Are you doing what is right in your own eyes or are your eyes fixed on the Shepherd?