Our Daily Bread magazine led me to reflect on Jesus’ words, “My sheep listen to my voice.” (John 10:27). The following are my thoughts.

A Choice – Both Are Good.

A Steady Diet – Which One? 

          Many of us fill our homes with sound. The television or radio are turned on for the morning news and continue unnoticed all day. It keeps us company. Some of us are more intentional. We make sure we catch the morning and evening news and several programs, maybe even a movie. Or we spend hours on social media and other news sources. We want to be informed.

Too often, we are moved to say to our friends, “The world is falling apart. Did you hear about the killing, the hurricane, the war in Ukraine today? Or others say,  “I’ve quit listening to the news. It fills my mind with fear and worry and hopelessness.”

“To whom and to what we listen and watch matter deeply. We see this in Jesus’ encounter with Pontius Pilate. In response to both Roman soldiers and religious leaders, Pilate summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (John 18:33)

Jesus replied, “Is that your own idea…or did others talk to you about me?’ (v. 34).

When we complain to God about the hopeless, chaotic state of our world, the same question tests us.” Who or what is filling your mind with tales of cruelty, greed, hopelessness, chaos.

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me.”

We know that Jesus has called us to love one another as God loves us. The Bible tells us that God says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Instead of filling the silence in our homes, or feeding our appetite for information with a continuous diet of death, tragedy, and hopelessness, we can  substitute songs of faith. We can feast our hearts on stories and pictures of goodness, kindness and love. Those stories and songs are available on the internet, on Facebook, in our Bible, at church, and with our chosen friends.

We can listen to our Good Shepherd but it takes intentionality. We can choose joy. I promise, your heart will be lighter and your soul filled with hope when you choose a daily diet of the goodness that does exist in this world.