Whose Voice Are You Hearing?

by Doy Moyer

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Whose voice are we hearing? We are all listening to someone’s voice, whether it be the voice of culture, the voice of another perceived authority, or the voice of Jesus. There is no escaping this.

“Hearing the voice of” someone else or a cultural group-think is acknowledgment in our lives of where we think authority ultimately resides. When we hear the voice and follow, we are saying that this voice holds enough weight for us that we are willing to give our lives and thoughts to what this voice is saying. The “voice” is everything to us. It is the “voice” to which we appeal for why we do what we do. The “voice” becomes an integral part of our identity.

In the cacophony of voices, we will hear echoes of confusion, distrust, every wind of doctrine that tosses us about and creates in us a chaotic sense of doubt and lack of clarity. There is no peace, no grounding, and no hope in the disorder. We are tired, restless, and hungry for what truly satisfies us. The voice of culture cannot give this, for it is ever in flux, never providing a solid footing on which to stand. The voice of others beset by their own sins and weaknesses cannot provide ultimate hope, no matter much confidence they exude or the pride they demonstrate. They are empty, “waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 12-13).

We are made to hear the voice of clarity that reaches the depths of our hearts and renews our spirits. We are made to hear the voice of Jesus.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6).

Whose voice will you listen to today?