The school bell has rung, class is now in session.
I would like to talk about the black sheep, but not in the way one may suppose. I want to talk about the other black sheep.
Did you know there are two types of black sheep? The first black sheep is considered to be a rebel, and menace to society. They usually stand out because they like to purposely break the rules.
The second black sheep is the opposite, but treated like the first. This is an issue because the second black sheep is not a bad sheep. The question posed is, “Why would someone purpose in their heart to ostracize and label another individual a black sheep? When does this take place and how is the behavior recognized?”
Why would someone purpose in their heart to ostracize and label another individual a black sheep?
Some of the reasons include, but are not limited too, misinformation, jealousy, and the crab mentality.
Misinformation
The second black sheep is often classified as such, due to a misleading narrative. There is often a story, or two that went around about them that had never been verified, like the telephone game played as children. Once the information was shared several times, the storyline became nothing more than embellished untruth.
Essentially, resulting in the white sheep’s transformation to a black sheep.
Remedy – Go to the source and inquire about the information, so they can confirm or dispute it. Unfortunately, most people do not do this, but instead perpetuate the information for days, weeks, months and sometimes years.
Jealousy
The second way a black sheep is created is by the Green Eyed Monster, named Jealousy. If a person becomes envious of a certain aspect in another person, they usually begin to think about it in their hearts and minds. The next action is usually to start having “innocent” sidebar conversations about the potential black sheep, in order to gather a “support system” of people who feel the same way they do. The sideboard conversations eventually become a norm, and voila, the second black sheep is born.
The Crab Mentality
This is a mentality that some people have, who aim to reduce the self-confidence of others who are achieving certain goals for themselves. The crabs not only identify this person as a black sheep, they also spread false information about them to others in order to create teams against the black sheep nominee. The opposite of this behavior would be to mentor, pour into, and lift up, but ordinarily does not occur.
When does this take place and how is the behavior recognized?
Some of the places this behavior is recognized is in the home, church, work, civic organizations, among family, and friends. Anywhere there are people, there will be a risk of being labeled as a black sheep.
While it is not a pleasant position to be in, it could be God-Ordained. I have read throughout the Bible about people who were doing all of the right things, but were still treated like a black sheep. These people were always being used by God because society had written them off due to misinformation, jealousy and not wanting to see them elevated.
I have some pertinent information to report, God’s plans and purpose for a person’s life cannot be stopped by anyone, but that person. He said as long as we are obedient to him, and walk according to his ways, no-one can pluck us out of his hand.
This should bring much comfort, because if you are feeling like the second black sheep right now, you probably have a really important calling on your life. Be encouraged and stay obedient to God. Focus your eyes on him and not man.
The school bell has rung, class dismissed!
Kamina A. Fitzgerald Ed.D. 
Great post! Did you ever feel you were a black sheep? I did, especially in high school where it was full of cliques. In college, I finally got to be friends with everyone, not just certain groups. So much better. I hope you get this! In fact, I’m going to copy into Word and save it. And Happy Moms Day to you! Do you have any children? We don’t but my wildlife keep me busy. And plants. 😁
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I received this one, woohoo! I do not have any children yet, but like you; I have certainly been busy. Happy Mother’s Day nonetheless! I have felt like a type of black sheep, but not in the traditional way. This story would require a virtual tea and scones meet up one day lol. ☕️ 🍰
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Ya! Scones? Mmm! I just bought brioche for the first time and it is very tasty! There is something about your writing that really appeals to me. I wished you had been my teacher throughout school. You have a wonderful educators gift.
I’d love to meet you! What state do you live in? I’m Arizona.
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Yes, scones! Ah, brioche? Did you put anything on it, or did you have it plain? Thank you so much for the compliment! I really enjoy your writings as well, it has a great storybook quality to it. Arizona, nice! I live in North Carolina.
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The brioche has chocolate chips in it and is heavenly 😋
Thank you for your compliment!
Is there a way to see all the conversations between you and me?
I wanted to book an airbnb in New Bern NC but don’t want the hassle of traveling by plane. We have been there amongst other NC places and it is a wonderful state.
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Ah chocolate chip brioche, I bet that was really good ☺️ Thank you! I haven’t been to Arizona in a very long time, but have pictures from driving through when I was younger. Because our conversations are on different feeds, you won’t be able to see the entire correspondence . If you reach out to me through my contact page, you can keep track of the conversation through email. New Bern, NC is a beautiful location!
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AZ is lovely with all the plants and trees blossoming. Who would believe cactus have gorgeous blooms?! God is good! Is NC beautiful right now?
I did find your contact page so sent you a message through there. I don’t check communication as much during the week as on Sundays so have a good week if you don’t hear from me!
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North Carolina is in full bloom as well, which looks beautiful, but can wreak havoc on your allergies. Have a wonderful week, and I will check my email!
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Reblogged this on Mitch Teemley and commented:
My Featured Blogger this week is Kamina A. Fitzgerald Ed.D. of Schoolspiration. I’ve been following Kamina for some time now, and never fail to gain a fresh perspective from her thoughtful surveys. Education, culture, society, spiritual life–anything that impacts our lives is fodder for Kamina’s fruitful insights.
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Thank you so much Mitch for your kind words, I am honored that you reblogged this post on your page! God Bless you!
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Such an excellent explanation! Thanks so much!
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Thank you for taking the time to read my post!
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“These people were always being used by God because society had written them off due to misinformation, jealousy and not wanting to see them elevated.”
Amen! In fact, this is what happened to the Son of God. The religious leaders were jealous of Jesus, even to the point of having him crucified. (I’d say He got the last laugh with the Resurrection. 😉 )
This piece reminds me of a song by one of my favorite bands, NeedToBreathe: “The Outsiders.” I love the ending of that song:
“On the outside, you’re free to roam.
On the outside we’ve found a home.
On the outside there’s more to see.
On the outside we choose to be.”
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I wholeheartedly agree, Jesus certainly had the last laugh in the end. I like that you pointed out that they mistreated him without cause, because if they did that to him, it can happen to anyone! Thank you for sharing one of your favorite songs, I just finished listening to it, and it lifted my spirit. ☺️
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My mom told me long ago she would be introduced as the black sheep of the family, and she was the first born of three daughters. Now I’m considered the black sheep of my family, simply because I march to a different beat…and that would be the heart beat of my Heavenly Father. ❤ Great article.
Susan
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Wow it is amazing how there always seems to be someone considered the “black sheep” of the family. That is why I felt compelled to talk about the second black sheep because not all of them are bad. The bible does talk about us being a chosen generation and peculiar people, so continue to follow him and you cannot go wrong. (1 Peter 2:9) Thank you so much for taking the time to read the post, have a Fantastic Friday!
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Thank you for your response. After I wrote my comment, I was thinking about what my mom went through. It breaks my heart. We were never close. Certain family members made sure of that. I don’t understand why, except maybe sibling rivalry, I don’t know. I wish I could have been her friend and been conduit of love and encouragement. She passed away a few years ago, so that never happened.
You have a great Friday as well. 😊
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I’m sorry to hear she passed away a few years ago and that you felt certain family members drove a wedge between you. Even though you wish you were close, and feel that opportunity is lost; try not to be too hard on yourself about it. Just think about the relationships you have presently that you would like to repair or make stronger, and work on those. That would be a way to ensure history will not repeat itself. Happy Friday! 😃
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I love the breakdown of the various ways people ostracize others. Thanks for sharing the wisdom.
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Thank you so much, to God be the glory 🙂 if you enjoyed the breakdown I did, you may enjoy this post as well. https://www.google.com/amp/s/schoolspiration.com/2021/01/18/ostracism-the-first-form-of-social-distancing/amp/ Enjoy your Wednesday!
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Thanks, I will check it out.
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Thank you for the feedback, this may be a topic I need to expound upon. I appreciate you taking the time to ready my post!
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