Following the Shepherd

by Zeke Flores

Shepherding has changed little over the centuries. While more modern methods are used in the work—even trained dogs are used to direct and round up the sheep—it’s still pretty much a lonely life: just the sheep and their shepherd.

In Jesus’ time, the shepherds kept their sheep safe for the night in a pen or enclosure. The shepherd called out to them, and they followed him into the pen.

Why? Because they knew his voice. The shepherd spent all his time with them, so he learned each one’s special markings and habits. And the sheep came to know him, too. They knew his appearance, his movements, and his voice.

Of course, there’s a spiritual element here. Jesus, the ultimate Shepherd, knows each of us; there’s no question. The question is, do we really know Him? Do we trust His leading even when it takes us into unfamiliar and scary places? Do we listen for His voice when we need to make difficult decisions? Do we trust that He’s leading us for our own good and because He cares?
Do we know Him?

"When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice" (John 10:4).