Who Said That? | Far Far Better

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

Pandemonium swept through the village ahead of the flames that consumed everything in their way. Sheep, donkeys, and cattle mingled with panicked people running toward the edge of town. Screams and shouts combined with the brays and bleats of frightened animals creating mass confusion. One old shepherd ducked into an alley, his young son at his heels. “Father,” the boy cried. “What about our sheep? What about Millie and Snowball and Bossy? They’ll get lost in all this!” The shepherd turned to face the chaos and shouted, “Girls! Millie! Come to me! Come here!” One by one, wooly bodies bolted from the stream of traffic and gathered around their shepherd. The son gaped at his father. “How did you do that? How did they know it was you?” The shepherd smiled. “They know my voice and they come to it. They won’t follow anyone else.”

That’s the picture Jesus painted for us. The people in His day understood sheep and shepherds. They knew that good shepherds spent a lot of time cultivating a trusting relationship with each lamb so that every member of the flock answered to his voice. That quick obedience was a life or death matter because a rebellious sheep was a wolf’s lunch. Jesus warns us that rebellious Christians are also a wolf’s lunch, because our enemy, Satan, is always on the prowl for lambs ignoring their Shepherd. When we know His voice, we follow it away from trouble and around the traps laid by our enemy.

Final Thought:  Is Jesus your Shepherd? Do you know His voice?

Prayer: Jesus, you are a good Shepherd to those you bought with your blood. But I hear a thousand other voices telling me what to do and it confuses me. Teach me to know your voice and follow you so I don’t become Satan’s lunch. Amen.