01.19.09

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the door keeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. - John 10:1-5.

Following the wrong voice can cause you much trouble and pain as one little boy found out in Auburn, California. The little boy had gone to a dental complex with his two teenage sisters, and they left him in a play area for children. While they were gone the little boy’s name was called, and he followed. They put him into a dental chair, injected him with Novocain, X-rayed him and removed two front teeth. It was the wrong boy! There were two other boys with the same name in the play area. The family filed a lawsuit in Placer County Superior Court.

Adam and Eve had a somewhat similar experience listening to the voice of a snake with legs. It looks like there would have been a clue there somewhere? Much pain and heartache has followed for all of us because of their choosing to follow the wrong voice. Jesus made the right choice (Matthew 4) when he rejected the voice of the devil and all of his temptations. But the voice of the stranger is often very attractive. The fruit of the tree appeared good to eat to Adam and Eve. The devil offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world. I wonder whether the little boy was tempted with a small toy like some dentists have in their office?

During one Christmas season, I heard there was a garbage strike that affected an affluent neighborhood. Bags of garbage were piling up in the alleys and along the curbs. It was becoming ugly with the smell of it all but one man found a way to have his garbage removed. He wrapped his garbage up in Christmas wrapping paper and left it on his front porch at night. In the morning thieves would always have it removed. The voice of the stranger wraps his words in the most tempting things. But if you look closely you will see what the stranger is offering is still just garbage.

The voice of the stranger is the voice of the robber and the thief. As Jesus says, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10a)." The spiritual thief comes to rob you of life, to rob you of your best life and to replace it with garbage. Jesus instead comes to give you life; and not just any kind of life, He comes to give you the abundant life, the best life.

Listen very closely before following the voice calling your name. Is the one calling a stranger, robber, and thief or is it the voice of the Good Shepherd, the Prince of Life (Acts 3:15)?