Wednesday, May 10, 2023
“Let me set this
before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of
a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a
sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens
the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by
name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they
follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s
voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.” (John 10:
3 -5, The Message Bible)
The ad that intrigued me the most
was the one which promised to teach me to “throw my voice.” I have always been
a sucker for a good ventriloquist act. I took books out of the library on ventriloquism.
I even wanted my own ventriloquist dummy. I never did. I grew up with a huge crush on Shari Lewis with
Lambchop and Charlie Horse. Today, I really enjoy Jeff Dunham and his cast of
characters. Throwing my voice had an allure.
What spurred this trip down
memory lane was a story that I read just this morning about an old-time
baseball player who could throw his voice.
Back in the late 1800’s, there was a pitcher by the name of Jack
"Waddy" Wadsworth. (No, grand-kids, I don’t remember him.) He wasn’t
a very good pitcher but he excelled in the ability to throw his voice. He was
so good that he would use his “gift” from the dugout and get other players, usually
up-to-bat, in trouble with the umpires. Wadsworth made it appear that the innocent
player was saying something derogatory about the ump who would then throw the
player out of the game. Wadsworth must have been really good or the umpires
were really dumb. Either way it worked many a time until they all finally
cottoned onto Wadsworth skill to throw his voice.
Voices are thrown at us in many
ways. There are so many voices in our world which clamor for attention. We are
inundated with voices from all sorts of sources including TV, social media,
magazines trying to convince us to buy what they are selling. The voices of conspiracy theories are tantalizing,
and convince many people despite their absurdity. The voices that shame body
shapes, age, looks, etc. are little if any better. Voices that ridicule, judge
or condemn people based on race, sexuality, gender, and the like are misleading
and hateful. Not all the voices are as bad as all that, but like Wadsworth
proved, false voices can get us into trouble.
Our text from John’s Gospel reminds
us not to follow a stranger’s voice. They are the voices who want to steal our faith,
our authenticity, our integrity and lure us away from the safety of the
Shepherd’s fold. They are false voices, thrown in our way, to lead us down crooked
paths. Stranger, Danger!
Rather, we capable of
recognizing the Master’s Voice. We hear
him call us by name. The false voices care nothing for our names or our
identities. But the Good Shepherd knows us each by name and he is the one who
leads us into green pastures and by still waters. “Your trusty shepherd’s
crook makes me feel secure.” (Psalm 23: 4, TMB) This Voice is trustworthy,
consistent, dependable and focused on leading us on the paths of righteousness,
love, grace, forgiveness and peace.
“My sheep recognize my voice.
I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are
protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my
hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer
and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one
heart and mind.” (John 10: 27 30, TMB)
So, let’s not be somebody else’s
dummy. Instead, let us be a conduit for the Voice of Jesus and follow the authentic
message that calls us to live a good life of faith and trust.
Dale
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