My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:27 (ESV)

Following Jesus involves active listening and active learning.

If what we do for Jesus simply drains us and becomes a burden more than a blessing, then there may be something seriously wrong in our understanding of following Him.

Our obedience is related to our confession of Jesus as both Lord and Saviour. What we do for Him should never be based on fear or guilt. It should be a joyful and trusting response to His perfect love towards us. Then all that we do in His Name will be much more fruitful and long-lasting because it flows from faith and freedom.

Our obedience is sustained and empowered by the gospel of God’s amazing grace and Spirit of God who dwells in us. We must be open and vulnerable to seek a wisdom greater than our own. If we fail to do so, people who were meant to be role models for us could tax our passion and exploit us for their own gain.

Jesus will never take advantage of us and will never stop reminding us of our true identity in Him. He is our great and excellent Shepherd who will take good care of us since He refers to us as His sheep. We can discern and hear Him well when we understand who He is to us and who we are to Him.

Cultivating a real and loving relationship with Him is our best defence and protection against false ideas and distortions of the Christian life. We can truly listen to Jesus and have a strong desire to do what He says because we are deeply anchored in His love.