Wisdom's Corner
Hear the True Shepherd's Voice

At night sheep are brought to a holding area known as a fold. Several shepherds may use the same fold. So there may be three or four herds in the same fold. The sheep will be kept and guarded in the fold.

The next morning each shepherd will come to the gate of the fold. He will step outside of the gate and call his sheep. The sheep will have mingled during the night. Each shepherd's sheep are not all together but mixed in with all of the other herds. But when the shepherd calls, his sheep will all come forward and follow him. Not one of his sheep will stay in the fold. The same thing happens as each shepherd steps out and calls his sheep.

The sheep will only follow their shepherd's voice. They will not respond to another shepherd's voice. Someone can try to mimick the shepherd's voice but the sheep know the difference. Someone can dress up to look like the shepherd but the sheep know by his voice that it is not their shepherd.

In John 10:3-5 we read, "To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."

If we obey Jesus and follow His words, then we are His sheep. We will only follow and obey Him. If someone comes along and calls us to follow them we will not do it. We will know that they are not speaking with the voice of Jesus. We will know that they are not our Shepherd.

The way we will know this is to study God's word, the Bible. It tells us what Jesus wants us to know so that we will always recognize His voice. Keep reading and studying your Bible. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Keep studying your Bible. Learn how to obey God. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Mark McWhorter

Copyright 1999

Published by The Old Paths Bible School
(http://www.oldpaths.org)