Here’s a quick question for you: who advises you on how to treat people? Who do you listen to when determining how to respond to someone who has frustrated you? Who commands your attention when you’re finalizing your rebuttal to someone who has made you angry? Who’s cheering you on when you finally have a chance to get even with someone?
There are plenty of “stations” we can tune in to for advice on how to treat people, but every “station” isn’t beneficial. You may choose to listen to the SELF station and do what you think is appropriate. But, we have to be careful with our opinions because our thoughts are not like His thoughts. Some choose to listen to the EVIL station, and agree to be governed by anger, hatred, or jealousy. Again, we have to be careful because the paycheck for sin is death.
Who should we listen to? In the text included above, Jesus reminds us that His sheep listen to Him. Sheep learn their shepherd’s voice by consistent exposure to and experiences with Him. The same is true for us. We learn His voice by exposing ourselves to His Word.
The good thing about Christ is that He’ll always give us the right answer. If we trust Him and seek His advice, He’ll show us how to respond (see Proverbs 3:5-6). So the next time you’re pondering a response to someone, wait for His answer. If you listen to Him, you’ll definitely show uncommon love!