Detecting the Right Voice

One of the fondest memories I have of my childhood is the time I spent with my grandfather.  During the summer months my parents would often take me to his house to stay while they attended our annual church conference.  The days were long and boring until granddad came home from work. Then we would go out on the farm and work in the fields gardening, spraying for weeds, or attending to the cattle. The most interesting part of my visit came in watching the relationship papaw had with his cows.  More often than I can remember, he would walk out into the field and start to yell, “sooh cow, sooh cow.” Upon hearing this cry the cows would start to make their way into the barn. They recognized the sound of my grandfather’s voice and responded to it without delay. At times he would make his plea and they would follow him as he led them to their destination. Even his old honorary bull that would fight, tear down fences and wander into the neighbor’s pasture listened to that call.  Grandpaw would go find his prized beast and walk him back home without ever putting a halter on him.  The bull responded to his voice.  As I reflect upon these scenes from the past I am reminded of the words spoken by Jesus. “My sheep hear my voice and a stranger they will not follow.”  Although sheep are not harnessed, they follow the shepherd without reservation.  They have learned that following the Master is the wisest thing humans can do. When we take the time to listen, we find that God always has our best interest at heart.  All he asks is that we follow him.  Having travelled the road before, He knows every pocket of resistance, every green field for grazing, and every source of water.  He is the great Shepherd of his sheep, and constantly speaks for us as well as to us.  With all the interference we see these days, we must listen to God knowing that it is important that we detect the right voice.