When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
John 10:4-5, New International Version
We need to be aware of the voices we listen to. There are so many competing messages and interests that want to capture our attention and beckon us to follow them. In this passage, Jesus reminds us that we are to stay tuned to His voice and flee the voice of the stranger.
Jesus uses the contrast of the "stranger" with the "shepherd" in this passage by telling us three qualities of the shepherd. The first is that the shepherd "brings out his own." There is a tenderness to the term, "his own." As a parent loves and protects their child, so Jesus identifies us as "His own." There is also a "together" component to this. Loving and being loved by Jesus in "the flock" is one of the blessings of being "His own." We can lose His voice when we wander from each other.
The second quality is that the shepherd "goes on ahead of them." Jesus keeps leading us. He is always in front of us to protect us and always advancing into our future as our forerunner or scout. We never have to worry about our direction, safety, or future, because He is going ahead of us.
The third quality is that the shepherd has a distinct voice that the sheep know and follow. We all know the voice of Jesus, because we have answered His call and have been following Him for some time in our life. We may lose track of His voice in the crowd and noise from time to time, but we can always return to His Word, to reconnect with His distinct tone.
These qualities are in contrast to the "stranger" shepherd. This is the voice of Satan. While his voice is smooth and plays into our selfish nature, we know his intentions are always to do us harm in the long run. We must be on our guard to the tinniness of his voice because he likes to imitate the voice of Jesus.
Don't be fooled by the voice of Satan. The voice of Jesus is sweet. He loves us, leads us, and cares for us. He doesn't compromise the moment as a trade-off for our future. The best way to discern His voice is to check in with Him often and let Him speak to you. That way you will never be fooled. When you do not recognize Him, it's time to run away.
Have a wonderful day.
Love, Pastor Stuart