Whose Voice Do You Listen To?

Whose voice do you listen to?

Who do you follow?

As followers of Jesus, these may seem like silly questions, but are they really? Our immediate answer might be, “I listen to the voice of Jesus. I follow him, and him alone.”

However, if those around us were to answer whose voice they believe we listen to and who we follow, they might have a different answer. Hopefully, not. But maybe.

Two Different Dogs

Years ago, I had two dogs. A Samoyed named Samantha, and a Black Lab/German Shepherd mix named Shadow. Both were rescues. Shadow was the older of the two. We’d had him since he was only weeks old. He was the one with the most experience listening to my voice and following me around.

Nevertheless, once Samantha became a part of our family at age two, things changed. Poor Shadow seemed conflicted. Listen to Mom’s voice and do what she says, or go along with whatever Samantha is getting into?

Hard decision.

Persuasive Leader

Samantha was sneaky. She was also a persuasive leader. This combination not only resulted in trouble for her, but for Shadow as well. Although Shadow was not sneaky, he trusted Samantha and was a willing follower. That fact right there often resulted in trouble he wouldn’t have considered on his own.

Until Samantha showed up, Shadow had never taken anything off the kitchen counter. However, after an entire large pepperoni and green pepper pizza found its way to the floor, courtesy of Samantha, Shadow was more than willing to join in devouring it.

See what I mean?

Even when we know better, we might be tempted to listen to the wrong voice. Especially when we smell a tantalizing pizza.

The Escape

During one blustery winter day, our backyard gate blew open while Shadow and Samantha were outside. I didn’t realize the dogs were missing until after they escaped.

It wasn’t hard to figure out that once Samantha noticed the open gate, she seized the opportunity to explore, and Shadow simply followed her lead.

I knew Shadow wouldn’t leave the yard on his own. I also knew Samantha would. Whether either dog heard my voice when I called for them, or not, they didn’t come back.

Before my son and I got into our car and slowly drove around the neighborhood, we checked with our neighbors. No one had seen Shadow or Samantha. After an exhaustive, empty-handed search we reluctantly returned home to wait.

Misplaced Trust

After several long hours of watching and waiting, a neighbor knocked on our front door. Standing on the porch beside him were Shadow and Samantha. Since they went to his house first instead of coming straight home, the two escapees must have realized they were in trouble.

From the looks of the two, I’d say wherever they’d gone off to, they’d run the entire way there and back. It took the rest of the day and evening for Shadow to recover from their escapade.

What About Us?

There may be times we follow others. There may be times others follow us. Either way, it is good to establish whose voice we will listen to ahead of time before we choose who we’ll follow.

It’s also good to know what direction we’re going ahead of time, and to count the cost before setting out. Is the person we follow a trustworthy fellow believer?

When we lead, we should lead according to God’s direction. When we follow, we should only follow according to God’s direction.

If we allow peer pressure to cloud our judgment and blindly follow someone without thinking through what it might cost our witness for Christ, we could find ourselves lost and in trouble. Much like Shadow did.

Compromising our Christian values by listening to the wrong person’s voice, and letting our integrity slide, will not only hurt us, but also those who follow us.

Whether we are in a position to lead or in a position to follow really doesn’t matter. Both have their place. What matters most is that we choose wisely who we listen to when we decide to follow or lead.

We Are Called Jesus’ Sheep

Not all that flattering when you consider the fact sheep are rather dense. But in their simplicity, sheep listen to their Shepherd’s voice.

Not the loudest voice, nor the voice of the one who comes to kill and to steal.

Sheep follow wherever their Shepherd leads them. They don’t try to figure things out on their own. They instinctively know better than to trust themselves. Sheep also do not consult each other. They simply listen and follow the voice of their Shepherd.

Your Turn

Jesus said his sheep listen to his voice. They follow him. One way we become familiar with Jesus’ voice is to read about him in the Bible. Then there can be no mistaking his voice when we hear it.

And unlike Shadow, when the temptation comes to follow or listen to the voice of someone who is untrustworthy or not in step with Christ, we need to turn our ears and eyes to Jesus. His is the only voice that truly matters.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 NLT

I wish you well.

Sandy

Here’s another post about following the wrong leaders.

Photos courtesy Pixabay and Unsplash.