Just because someone else does it, doesn’t mean you have to! Especially if what they’re doing is not in your best interest to embrace.
If a co-worker drinks after work, that doesn’t mean you have to drink.
If a family member gets angry, you don’t have to get angry.
If a friend feels depressed, there’s no rule that states you should get depressed.
If the news media builds up fear about contagious disease, that doesn’t mean you have to catch it.
As a child of God, you are governed by God, not by neighbors, popular belief, or by what other people are experiencing.
God gives you intelligence and dominion to think for yourself and make wise decisions.
Let spiritual truth form your thought.
When it comes to considering popular opinion, don’t be a mental lemming. Follow God’s lead and stay healthy and free.
Thank you, Evan. That is all a very good reminder to keep control of our thinking and not to be influenced by others for any reason. I looked up “lemming” and apart from various other definitions it included • “a person who unthinkingly joins a mass movement, especially a headlong rush to destruction”. It is obviously wise then to stay calm, watch our thoughts, follow God’s leading and live safely in His care and protection, shining out our own individual spiritual light to the world.
Very good advice! Never head that exact expression before but
Will adapt it into my vocabulary. Thanks again
Love this!! So true and helpful! Thank you so much
Interesting fact about lemmings – and humans as well – is that the myth of mass suicide charges off cliffs was actually a form of conspiracy theory that a generation of largely North Americans were fed by none other than Walt Disney in “White Wilderness”. Turns out since no one had actually witnessed such an event, the whole lemming “suicide”‘ was an elaborate production – it was faked to substantiate a false belief. Shot in Canada – not Scandinavia, and with a different species of lemmings than the myth described, it naively depicted one of Infinite Intelligences’ ideas as being crazed creatures.
Hmmnn ……where have I heard that before?
Hi Patty,
Thanks for the background! I did not realize that, but I googled it, and you are correct. Evidently, lemming populations can reach huge numbers every few years, and travelling in groups, a group can set off to find a new home. If they meet a body of water, they will plunge into it to swim across it, but not to commit suicide. As you mention, Disney created the myth for society with their movie. It’s interesting how beliefs can be perpetuated like this. The metaphor is still powerful, but it’s nice to know the background!
Love your daily sharings !
Love it! Thank you, Evan!
Thanks to all who have contributed to the definition of lemming – a word I knew nothing about never having heard it before. We need to be absolutely certain that it is only the one divine Mind that is governing us at all times!
Thanks Evan, lemming mindset reminds me of that group of swine that headed down the waters and drowned themselves (suicidal thoughts) that Christ Jesus cast out. Truth has made man free to master the infinite idea of Life and Love and no one is outside of Divine Love’s Omnipotence care and omnipresence. Even in our so called weakest moment, we can turn to God Spirit for help and be strengthen.
And guess what! The picture of the swallows in today’s blog is photo-shopped or whatever the word is for manipulated to look like one bird is either being bravely independent or ostracized. If you look closely, you’ll see the same bird amidst the flock, and small parts of the flock repeated over and over.
There’s a spiritual lesson there, too! We must stay alert and not be manipulated by mortal mind.
Thank you Evan, as always.
Is Lemming a bird or?
Thank you very much, Evan for today’s wonderfully helpful and comforting Truth thoughts.
Yes, let spiritual Truth form our thought!
That is the solution!
I am very grateful to all you commentators and to Evan for your interesting and inspiring comments!
It is a cute little fuzzy animal.:) (Not a bird). http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/norway-lemming-picture-id128587124?s=612×612
Uta, Here is a cartoon picture of lemmings. I thought this was pretty cute. 🙂
https://s3.amazonaws.com/lowres.cartoonstock.com/animals-lemmings-cliffs-jumping-suicides-parachute_jump-mgon143_low.jpg
Wow, Kirsten, thank you for the foto of the sweet Lemming.
And the cartoon is funny; thank you very much for your loving explanation of Lemmings! 🙂
Thank you, I loved this article! Just this year I’ve started spending more time at my boyfriend’s house with him and his family, and though I love him dearly and enjoy visiting them, some habits of theirs aren’t quite right for my standards, and so I’m doing my best not to fall into those same habits myself 🙂
Great message and I love love love the picture!