A few years ago, I remember seeing a video where a shepherd challenged onlookers to call his sheep and see if they would follow them. He demonstrated to the crowd the exact way he calls them. Person after person, each one attempted to lure the sheep over, but they would ignore them. After various attempts, the shepherd steps in and does the same call. Not surprisingly, they immediately come over as soon as they hear his voice.
Contrary to what many people think, sheep are not stupid. Their intelligence comes in just below that of a pig and on par with cattle. The reason why people think sheep are not as intelligent is that sheep react to situations. This instinct makes them somewhat unreliable in terms of making calculated decisions. Also, since they have no way of defending themselves, they run from danger and band together in large numbers for protection.
Because they band together for protection and are reactive to situations, they also erroneously follow one another without thinking about where they’re going. Ironically, they also like to maintain a safe zone between themselves and other sheep. The reason for this is so that they have adequate “flight distance” in the event they need to run from danger.
It’s no wonder Jesus often refers to us as His sheep. He knows us better than anyone else. He also knows that we’re easily led astray by other sheep or a perceived friend because of how we are. He created us this way to follow him, but instead, the enemy uses this against us. Today take the time to recognize the Good Shepherd’s voice, rather than the one that leads us away to danger.
Daily Directive:
Answer and Journal the Following
Read:
Read and meditate on Matthew 9:36.
Pray:
How do you know you’re following the Good Shepherd’s voice? Pray and ask God for clarity and discernment.
Meditate / Make It Real:
To know His voice, you must spend time in the word and prayer. Determine how you take the time to get to know Jesus intimately.
Share / Show:
Share and show what you’ve learned with someone else.