There’s a four-way stop that I pass through on my daily walk. Every yard on each of those four corners is surrounded by a privacy fence. There are dogs behind three of those four fences. One of those fences has a place where a small piece of the wood is missing. I can often see part of the dog’s face as it watches me pass by.
Here’s what happens. That dog barks, then the dogs behind the other fences on the other corners begin barking, too. I did a video commentary on my social media about something similar a few months ago, but in recent weeks God has been pressing it on my heart again. If this sounds familiar, take it up with Him. But someone needs this.
Dogs bark for many reasons. Among other things, this could be territorial or social, it’s hard to say. However, what always jumps out at me is when one starts barking the others begin to follow suit even though they can’t see me. When those few bark together, others in the neighborhood often join in. It’s suddenly a chorus of barking dogs and only one of them saw me.
Regardless of whether they are trying to warn others that I’m roaming about or just being social, it always reminds me of “mob mentality,” that follow-the-crowd syndrome that most of us are familiar with. How many times have you caught yourself joining the barking chorus because you were upset with someone or something? Perhaps you thought you were just warning others or were attempting to be social.
Maybe you’ve been the one the crowd turned on. Has it felt like everyone is barking at you from behind their fences even though they don’t really see you? I’ve experienced this on a small scale. It isn’t fun.
My mind goes immediately to the events just before the crucifixion of Christ. First, a “great multitude with swords and clubs” (Matthew 26:47) came to arrest him. Jesus was one man, without a home, or a weapon. He preached love and helping the needy. But a great multitude, armed, came to get him. Mob mentality.
Later (Matthew Chapter 27) Pontius Pilate puts the fate of Jesus into the hands of the crowd. He could find no reason to convict Christ, but still the crowd wanted to kill Him and let the notorious prisoner Barabbas go free. Have you ever wondered how many of the people in either of those multitudes had actually met Jesus? I would argue that many were likely behind their privacy fences just barking away because they heard others doing the same.
Friends, please be careful about getting swept up in angry mobs. If you’re angry enough to bark at someone, make sure you personally know why. Do your own fact-checking and be careful about giving in to your anger. The Bible has plenty to say about the dangers of letting your anger dictate your actions.
Proverbs 30:33 (NKJV) says “…the forcing of wrath produces strife.” Forcing our anger only produces conflict. It doesn’t solve anything. Proverbs (29:11) also tells us “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.”
We must tread lightly when we are inclined to join the barking chorus. When you’re bent on helping the multitude encourage someone’s demise, reconsider. Unless you’re the witness with the first-hand knowledge, find a better way. I’m not suggesting that we don’t protest a wrong or that we turn a blind eye to injustice. However, anger lives next door to sin, and we must be cautious about barking simply because we heard the neighbor bark. It’s dangerous territory.
The next time you’re considering slinging insults from behind the safety of your keyboard, sharing a juicy piece of gossip, or just spreading opinions like wildfire, stop and assess your barking. Are you doing it from a place of anger? Do you really have the facts? Will it be helpful or hurtful? Will it solve the problem? Will it bring the recipient closer to Jesus? Don’t be another angry voice in a barking chorus.
One the flip side, if you’re truly doing your best to serve the Lord and are still the one being barked at, hang on and keep your head. Solomon also writes in Proverbs 12:13 that the righteous will come through trouble. The English Standard Version translation says, “…the prudent ignores an insult.” If you don’t know them personally, don’t take it personal.
Let them bark. You keep walking, and trust that God will sort it out.
