“I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, Just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, on shepherd.” John 10:14-16 CSB

When I was little, my sister and I would spend a few weeks in the summer on my grandparents’ small farm. My grandfather had several cows. They tended to wander away from the barn at night and out into the woods. He would go out in the morning and call them back to the barn for breakfast. I can still hear him calling out, “Sook, sook, cows, sook!” And the cows would come! They knew his voice! (They never came when my sister and I tried to call them.)

A shepherd takes care of his sheep, calls each one by name, protects them, and leads them where it is safe. In our verses for today, Jesus is telling us that He is our Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep. Jesus cares for and protects us. He knows each one of us. And just like my grandfather’s cows knew his voice and came to him, when we belong to Jesus, we know His voice and follow Him.

Jesus laid down His life for each one of us, His sheep. Jesus gave His life on the cross for all who would believe in Him and become the sheep of His one flock. Our true value is not in anything that we can do, our value is in whose we are; we belong to the Good Shepherd, Jesus.

This week talk with your parents about being cared for and valued by our Good Shepherd, Jesus. How can you know His voice? How can you follow Him? Think about things like prayers, loving God and Jesus, and loving others.

Blessings as you follow your Good Shepherd, Jesus!