Voice recognition

‘Steve, it’s Kev…’ are the opening words used by my close friend, Kevin, when leaving a message on my answerphone. He doesn’t really need to give me his name because I recognise his voice; he doesn’t need to address me by name either, because the content of the message will make it obvious that it’s directed to me. Sadly, our friendship of many years came to an abrupt end last week when he died unexpectedly.

In his teaching, Jesus uses the idea of calling someone by name together with the notion of recognising a particular voice. He speaks about himself as being the Good Shepherd who enters into the fold calling out his own particular sheep by name. Those same sheep recognise the voice of their shepherd. Jesus builds upon the picture by explaining that there are sheep rustlers who, not being permitted to enter through the sheep gate, will try to get at the sheep some other way. Even if the rustler gains access to the flock, we are told that Jesus’ own sheep will never follow the voice of a stranger but run from it.

You may have experienced such rustlers, calling you to follow them. These may have come as religious false teachers speaking in the guise of bona-fide teachers of faith; humanistic philosophers or advocates of political ideologies. Perhaps you have tried either one or more but found that they deserted you when push came to shove - a time when life was really difficult. This is why Jesus said that when the wolf comes to attack the flock, the rustler leaves the sheep in the lurch and they find themselves all over the place.

‘But’, some may ask, ‘why should I trust that Jesus is any different?’ Unlike the rustlers, Jesus is the shepherd who has willingly given his life in order to secure the ultimate safety of his sheep.

Integral to Christianity is the belief that Jesus calls all people to follow him. Some of them will hear that call personally (‘by name’), recognising that unique inner-voice as belonging to their legitimate Master; as do sheep with their shepherd they turn and follow Jesus.

I will no longer hear Kevin address me by name nor have occasion to recognise his voice. When the reality of death interrupts our daily lives, this sort of interaction ends. Thankfully, while we are living, we may recognise and respond to the call of Jesus who says he himself has come to give life and overcome death.

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