Unbiased Ears

“The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”
— John 10:3b, 4 ESV

It’s right there in the text, as plain as day.

But it’s easy to miss.

This passage of scripture is subtitled “I am the Good Shepherd” in our Bibles (though subtitles aren’t in John’s manuscript). As westerners, the subtitle conjures an image of a man cresting a grassy, green hill with his staff in hand, prodding the sheep along from behind the flock. Perhaps dogs are chasing the wooly creatures to keep them from falling into harm’s way as well.

And yet, that’s not at all what the verse says. Instead, we read that

• He leads them out.
• He goes before them.
• They follow him.

There are two distinctly different approaches to shepherding. One follows behind the flock, corralling the sheep correctively. The other method, the one described in these verses, leads the sheep in the way they should go — from the front. The former tactics are more familiar to us, but the latter model was the norm in Jesus’ day in Palestine, which explains the language in our passage.

We read this verse and are prone to visualize a shepherd’s work differently than it’s written because of our preconceived notions and expectations. Similarly, we are likely to assume God’s direction for our lives will take the form we anticipate (or hope) it will.

I suspect this creates a hindrance in hearing what He actually says.

Sheep learn the voice of their shepherd and respond to his calls. So, too, we must learn the voice of our Shepherd through His Word, not as we wish it to read, but as it is written. For us to hear God’s voice, and receive what He’s saying, we must lay aside what we want Him to say and instead tune our ears to whatever it is He wishes to speak into our lives. Only then will we know His Voice in truth. 

We are the Good Shepherd’s sheep. He goes before us and leads us. He will keep us in safety — by His standards, not our own — if we will follow. By submitting unreservedly to His leading, and listening to His voice, Psalm 23 (below) tells us we will enjoy peace and freedom from fear. What’s more, God’s mercy and and goodness will hem us in from behind and we will find ourselves on the path that leads to the house of the Lord.

Will you join me in asking God for unbiased ears before we study, read or pray?

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.