It seems that we are more independent thinkers now than members were expected to be back in 1945. And I think that is both good and bad in some ways. On the one hand, we have become more proud and stiff-necked and individualistic. People expect a lot out of life, and too many of us sacrifice important things for the sake of getting things that we want, leisure activities, careers, etc. It is a problem when we put ourselves first and live beyond our means, fail to help our neighbors, sacrifice family, etc. I'm probably as guilty as anyone. But there can also be too much dependence on someone else to tell us everything. Maybe sometimes we ask for more council from our leaders than is their responsibility to give. The Lord said that it is not meet that we should be commanded in all things. God expects us to think for ourselves, even when we go to Him. We should figure out some solutions and pray to know whether it is right. The sheep metaphor has its place, but can be taken too far. Sheep are better off when they trust and follow the shepherd, but if we act like sheep all the time and don't do our own thinking, we will get into trouble.
In our time, God doesn't generally tell us which career to choose, who to marry, where to go on vacation, what to have for lunch (the details, anyway), etc. I wonder if it might have been different in earlier years. In pioneer times, people were apparently given callings to go and settle particular places. One of my ancestors immigrated from Scandinavia, and was sent to Gunnison to be a farmer. He unfortunately wasn't good at farming and never did well at it, and we have too many stories in that line about people who died in farming accidents. It was recorded that these good pioneers never murmured or complained. I'm not so sure that I buy all of that, or maybe if they just went along with it, perhaps it would have been better for this ancestor if he had spoken up and said that he was not a farmer, but a taylor, and needed to find work that he was suited for. My family tends to be overly passive, and it does not serve us well.
I think that it would have been better for me if I had been taught growing up that I was responsible for my life and my choices, rather than that I would live the life that my parents expected that I would, no questions asked. Church leaders are sometimes like parents. They want what is best for us, and they do their best, but sometimes they may be prone to overstepping their boundaries, and when they do, we need to have boundaries and be responsible for ourselves and our decisions.
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