The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. — John 10:3b-5

There isn't a Christian man I have talked to lately who does not think we desperately need better leadership in the world today. Not one. As we survey the landscape, we know our leaders are misleading us. The cultural narratives we are being told to comply with are mostly untruths built on logical fallacies. It's intentional deception is what it is. It happens everywhere — in the courts, government, media, non-profits, education, social media, Chat GPT, and I guess in the FBI, and of course, in the church.  It's invading every arena of our lives. And I think most of us feel sad, disappointed, discouraged, and confused about this.

But you need to know all this was happening in the time of Jesus. And that's what makes this parable so good. We are told that when we are let down and led astray by bad leadership, there is a better leader. We have the best spiritual leader. One who can be trusted. His name is Jesus. He calls, leads, brings, and directs those who are willing to hear his voice. And his voice is personal. His voice is individual. His voice can be heard and heeded. All we have to do is listen to him.

Note this, Jesus is the leader. He is the only shepherd. He is the only voice. And I know you might think of me as a spiritual leader, but I am not. I am merely a follower like you. I might be leading you, but I am only leading you into a following. It's the same following I am doing. And I follow only one voice, and it's Jesus. And you need to follow the same voice.

So test the voices you hear. Don't just mindlessly listen. Listen with discernment. And if they aren't following Jesus, then don't follow them.

ASK THIS:

1. In what ways have you personally experienced the consequences of following misleading or untruthful voices in your life? How has this realization impacted your perspective on the importance of discerning the voice of Jesus as the ultimate leader?
2. Reflect on a time when you felt unsure about a decision or direction in your life. How did you seek to hear the voice of Jesus in that situation? What steps can you take to further develop your ability to recognize and follow His voice amidst the noise and deception of the world?

DO THIS: Learn to listen to Jesus voice and follow him.

PRAY THIS: God, help us discern your voice amidst the misleading leaders and narratives around us. Guide us to follow only you, the trustworthy Shepherd. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Shepherd.