I love watching the BBC Earth channel, enthralled with the marvel of creation and the diversity of species in the natural world. As a kid, I grew up watching Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom every Sunday night. I loved the episodes that focused on the African Savanah. The innumerable herds of wildebeest, zebras and other assorted animals moving in unison, like a gigantic rhythmic wave rolling across the African plain searching for grassland or water captured my attention. However, I loved it for a different reason, the stragglers! I waited each week to see what would befall those that strayed from the herd, fell behind or drifted. For that is when the archvillains of the show arrived, the lions, the hyenas, and other predators that picked off those that strayed in a dramatic chase scene that usually ended up with the lions and hyenas getting a quick meal. At the same time, the rest of the herd moved along as if nothing had happened.

There is safety in numbers, the narrator would often say. That is a true statement and has never been truer than today when our technologically driven online and social-media-focused world can isolate us from the herd without us even noticing. The thing is, in the animal shows, the stragglers, those that stray, don’t do it intentionally. Instead, they become engrossed in other things, losing sight of the herd, or they become so focused on the grass that they fail to see the lurking danger.

The dictionary defines the verb “to stray" as “moving away aimlessly from a group or the right course or place.” It is to drift, often without realizing you are going off course.

The account found in 2 Samuel 11:1 gives us a sobering example of the danger of drifting; “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.”

We are not told why David didn't lead his army. We are not told why when it was normal and customary for kings to go into battle that David chose to stay behind. We do know, however, the result. He strayed; he drifted. His gaze led to an invitation that led to an inappropriate relationship that led to deceit, lies, and ultimately murder. It would take the rebuke of the prophet Nathan to shake David to his core and acknowledge his sinful actions against God.

I’m sure David didn’t intend to stray. He didn’t purposefully wander off and seek out temptation, but it found him, and his protection, the protection of the herd, was not there. His accountability group was gone, and the tempter was there to pounce.

The rise of the online church has been a blessing to many over the past two years and continues to bless those who have difficulty personally attending church and worship services. However, it cannot fully replace the intimate face-to-face fellowship and relationship building we have in community with one another when we are physically together. Isolation still gives the opportunity to stray and, therefore, to become a target.

So what can we do to mitigate the danger of straying so that we stay the course? Let me suggest three practices that provide that herd protection and help keep us from straying.

Be part of a herd and ensure that you have an accountability group that checks in on you often, especially if you cannot physically attend in-person gatherings at your place of worship or small group.
Be intentional about caring for others in the herd. Be part of someone else's community, checking in on them, and providing herd protection and accountability.
Be aware of the dangers to the herd. Recognize that we are all tempted in different ways. So resist the thought of "That would never tempt me."

Straying is never intentional, it happens when we lose focus, or we become careless about our surroundings, our activities, what we watch, look at, or read. We are called to be in community as the body of Christ, collectively expressed in local congregations and faith groups. Let us offer herd protection to each other in these days.

Praying for you as you pray for me!

Rev. Bill Allan
AGC President

2022: Stay the Course! - The Danger of Straying