Stranger Danger

 "The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run from a stranger because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10: 3-5

    When my daughter, Hannah, was over the other day, I invited her to come to the back yard with me to toy with my new app which identifies bird song. Avian activity was rather sparse that day until a rather raucous bird call reached our ears. We glanced at the app for its identification.

    It seemed to ruminate on this sound for a few minutes as we waited. When the answer popped up, we looked at each other in disbelief: Great Horned Owl?! 

    Zealous for an adventure, I ran inside to retrieve the binoculars and we set out to see this rare occurrence. The sound led us around the block as the excitement built. 

    "It must be in that maple tree!" I exclaimed, peering through the binoculars. Then Hannah delivered the crushing news: "Mom, the sound is coming from that parrot over there." 

    Sure enough, on a porch sat a caged white bird mimicking the cry of a Great Horned Owl. Alas, even the app was deceived. Though crestfallen, we were still able to laugh at our experience.

    I thought of how easily we can be deceived, especially as the wonders of technology increase. Hannah and I could have reported that we had heard an owl, but we wisely searched for truth. 

    When listening to all the talking heads in our society, how do I separate truth from fiction? I dare not trust any voice other than the one of my Shepherd, who speaks to me from his word, the bible. 

    Satan, the great deceiver, would have me believe I am good enough on my own merit to go to heaven, but what does God say? "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2: 8, 9)

    Satan will tell me that I am not a sinner, that I haven't done anything wrong, but God says, "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

   Or, that snake will whisper, "You've done the unforgiveable! And you call yourself a Christian." Here's the truth: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

    Again, Satan will say there are many paths that lead to heaven, but Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

    I choose to believe the One who won the victory over the grave, who lives and reigns from heaven and who has sealed me with his Holy Spirit as a guarantee that He is coming back for me. 

"Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth." - Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns 

"So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land you will possess." Deuteronomy 5: 32, 33