Have you ever felt like this little guy? I know, I know, this little guy could be a little gal, as I didn’t lift its tail to see. But for the purpose of our conversation, have you ever felt like this little guy. What do I mean? let me explain.

While walking at the local elementary school yesterday, I discovered this little faun, just sitting in the summer sun, almost trembling.  This baby deer couldn’t have weighed more than 15 pounds, with gangly legs and little strength to stand or walk.

There were no other deer around, as far as I could see and this little guy was afraid.

As I walked up, speaking very gently, I talked with him. Despite the deer being very unsure of the hulking creature very different to him, he was drawn to the comfort of my voice; being alone and afraid without his mother.

Interestingly, I could have probably picked him up, but was concerned my scent would remain and when mother deer returned, he’d be rejected.

Let me ask, have you ever felt like him?

Have you ever felt like him, as a Christian? Alone, looking around for someone like you in your faith, that looks like you, behaves like you, thinks like you, in your redeemed and transformed mind?

Have you in your spiritual state felt your need to move, run from perceived danger, but being able to stand only, you simply want to lay down hoping for rescue?

The experience of the little deer, is more common place than we would like to admit, for those who really surrender to God’s love in Christ. Remember that Jesus declares the world will hate us, so we live in the valley of the shadow of death, with few familiar fellow’s of the flock, in the world and at times in the one place we ought to be safe… His church.

Jesus experienced at least the feelings that we have…

Isaiah 53:2-5 ² For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. ³ He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. ⁴ Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. ⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Why is it that sincere followers of Christ often feel exactly like that little dear? 

I can only speak concerning this question from what I know best; the church in America. 

We often feel this way, because the Lord is shaping our faith to trust Him alone and that is rare in America, at least Christians who want only what God wants for their life.

Secondly, and connected to the first, is the fact that there so few sincere followers of Christ, we often lower our view point of what it means to be a Christian. There may no be many little deer like us, but there are more than a few, scattered for us to find, if we’ll wait on the Lord.

We must hold to what a Christian is supposed to be, biblically speaking, because if not, like the little dear with me, we will advance toward someone who looks friendly, but will be an existential threat.

Consider me with the dear. I could have picked it up, stroked its fur, comforted it in its anxiety. I would not have snapped its neck, cut it up for deer chops or deer jerky. Heck, I may have even given it some milk. The only problem is that it is prey and I am ultimately a predator. If my family had to eat, even if I raised that deer to a two-hundred pound buck, I would kill it to feed my family.

In similar fashion, false teachers, ministers of the devil and tares among the wheat, who profess to know Christ, present themselves as a comfort to us in our fear. We must stretch to find our comfort in Christ alone or what He provides, rather than listen to the soothing voice of charlatan Christians. 

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 ³ But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ⁴ For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

1 Peter 5:8-9 ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

It is certainly human and part of our Christian experience to feel like that little dear from time to time, but we cannot remain in that feeling. We must grow in knowing Jesus is always with us and will never leave nor forsake us. We must remember we are not deer, but children of God, who are called to be led by the Holy Spirit. Therefore we are never alone, never lost and never so weak as to move at His direction and run to safety. 

Even that little deer, didn’t stay put for long in its fear. By the time I came around again, he had moved out of sight and was hiding in the shelter of the forest. We never have to hide in a forest, for He hides us in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91). 

Let’s grow up into mature children of God, not overcome with fear or despair, because the alternative is to be meat for the enemy.