The Recognizable Voice of a Very Good Shepherd

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I have a super-sense. I don't know if it's the one I'd pick for myself, but here it is. You know how, in a crowded, noisy party, Superman can isolate a whispered phone conversation in another room? I can do that. Sort of. Although here's how it works.

Amy: "I love this song."

Everyone else at the table: "There's music playing?"

Amy: "You can't hear that?" (I sing a few bars...)

Everyone else at the table: "That's incredible. You can hear that over the party of 30 8th-grade-girls at the table next to us? Amy? Amy?"

Amy: (Too busy singing...)


In John 10, Jesus tells a parable about a good shepherd. He says that the sheep follow the good shepherd because they know his voice. It's a beautiful picture, isn't it? The shepherd spends enough time with the sheep - caring for them, leading them, talking to them - that they recognize his voice when he calls and will go where he leads.


I was thinking about how my "supersense" is kind of like that - it works best with my favorite artists - the ones I've spent the most time listening to. Hearing as little as one note sometimes, I can start right in because I am so familiar with those voices. I know them, I love them, and it's almost a physical impossibility for me to keep from singing along.


I'm humbled by the reality that Jesus invites us to know him that well. He wants us to spend so much time listening to his voice, reading his words, absorbing his presence, that it takes but one word for us to recognize when he is speaking - and maybe even more importantly, to recognize when someone other than the good shepherd is calling us. He wants us to love his voice so much that we can't help but sing along.

Another thing that strikes me about this story is that sheep don't talk. And they're not really capable of having a 2-sided relationship. In order for any bond to be built between the shepherd and the sheep, the shepherd has to take the initiative. The shepherd does all the work. And all the talking.


The job of the sheep is just to stay within the reach of the shepherd's voice.

Comments

Jim Jordan said…
He wants us to spend so much time listening to his voice, reading his words, absorbing his presence, that it takes but one word for us to recognize when he is speaking - and maybe even more importantly, to recognize when someone other than the good shepherd is calling us.

Amen to that. It is discouraging sometimes to be able to discern more clearly that non-Shepherd voice of corruption. It's all around. Good for you for blocking it out.
September 24, 2008 at 2:42 PM
Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect said…
*sigh*

I don't think I've been listening to that voice much lately. Actually, I know I haven't.

Thankfully, God can still use my blog friends to convict me. Thanks for the message, Amy. :)

(I can sometimes hear songs when other people tune them out, too - guess I should be using that power for Good, huh?)
September 25, 2008 at 9:26 AM
Jack and Lexi's Mom said…
I love the still small voice that speaks to me through you.
September 25, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Amy said…
Hi all! Thanks for your comments!

I read back over this and...I wish I was as good at blocking the noise and listening to the voice as I should be...
September 25, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect said…
Hi, Amy. Thought of you and this message today in Chipotle. I started talking to my husband about the song playing overhead, and he could not hear it at all!
September 26, 2008 at 2:57 PM
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