Group Instinct

Group Instinct

Bible: John 10:14-30

Reading

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me (V.27).

Near the village of Gevas in eastern Turkey, while shepherds ate breakfast, one of their sheep jumped off a 45 foot cliff to its death. Then, as the stunned shepherds looked on, the rest of the flock followed. In all, 1,500 sheep mindlessly stumbled off the cliff. The only good news was that the
last 1,000 were cushioned in their fall by the growing ‘woolly pile’ of the ones who jumped first. In all 450 sheep died. The Bible often talks about us as being like sheep (PSALM 100:3; ISAIAH 53:6; MATTHEW 9:36). Easily distracted and always wanting to fit in, we would rather follow the crowd than do what Jesus says and stand out for Him. I’m glad the Bible also describes sheep in a positive way. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd . . . My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (JOHN 10:14,27). So the big question for us is: who are we following? One another? A
popstar on Instagram? Or the voice of the Good Shepherd? Our challenge is to avoid the stupidity of the sheep who blindly followed one another over a cliff. We must ask ourselves every day:

Am I listening for

the voice of Jesus? Am I following Him? He will always lead us well.

FOLLOW JESUS, NOT THE CROWD.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries