Shepherds
/The sheep follow him because they know his voice.
-John 10:4
Sheep know the difference between compassion and chaos. They know who cares for them and who is only out to hurt them. So they follow the voice of the good shepherd, and they don’t listen to the unfamiliar voice of a thief. A thief may find a way to trick them, or grab them, or force them, or trap them, but being herded along by someone whose aim is destruction must be a very different experience for a sheep than being tended by one who wants only what is best for them.
The chaos we feel in our world today is nothing new, although it always seems to show itself in new ways. It is easy to be misled by the louder voices all around - the voices that scare us or threaten us or even hurt us. It is a spiritual discipline to take time out from the cacophony of this world to listen for the still, small voice that has been here from the beginning - the voice of creativity, thanksgiving, reconciliation, forgiveness and love. This voice - this good word - is always there, waiting to be heard, waiting to be followed, waiting to bring some measure of order to our chaotic lives, and to put a rich banquet of abundance on the table, even in the valley of the shadow of death.
I often pray John, chapter 10, from the vantage point of the sheep. It makes me lean into who the the good shepherds are in my life - those with words that lead me beside the still waters, to lie in green pastures and walk in paths of righteousness. It makes me think through the many voices I hear that are only trying to destroy. What voices do you hear all around you and in your own head? How do you discern the difference between the good shepherds and the bandits?
May you find ways today to stop and listen for voice that will feed and nourish you, so that you can, in turn, feed and nourish whatever flock you’ve been given to tend in this chaotic world.
