For ye were as sheep going astray

1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray;

Nieboer: A teacher asked Johnny, “John, if your father had ten sheep and one of them crawled through a hole in the fence and got lost, how many would he have left?” Johnny answered, “None.” “Well, John, you don’t seem to know your arithmetic.” “Well, ma’am,” said John, “Maybe I don’t know my arithmetic, but I do know sheep. If my father had ten sheep and one crawled through a hold in the fence, and got lost, the other nine would follow him.”

This is just what happened with the human race. Adam and Eve sinned and went astray, and all humanity strayed after them. So all are lost by nature, and their tendency is to wander farther and farther and farther away from God. Only as the good shepherd goes out after them will they be returned to their proper fold.