Act 11:1-18 / John 10:11-18
Not many of us have any experience of sheep-rearing, or for that matter of fact, have seen a real sheep and touched one.
But from whatever material that is available about sheep, it seems that sheep are not very smart animals.
They get themselves caught in thorn-bushes and between rocks, and they will just go on grazing until they are lost from the main flock. Part of the reason is that they have poor eyesight.
But sheep have a distinctive characteristic; they have a refined hearing capability.
They can immediately recognize the voice of the shepherd and they will follow that voice.
Consequently, when they don't hear the familiar voice and they hear other voices, they will be confused and they will just follow the sheep that is in front of them.
Such is the case when the sheep are driven to the abattoir. When confused they will not move and hence they have to be driven to be slaughtered.
Jesus calls us His sheep. But we are certainly much smarter than sheep.
Yet, we may not have that kind of refined hearing capability of the sheep to hear the voice of our Master, over and above our own voice and the other voices of distraction and temptation.
So even animals like the sheep can teach us a few things.
They teach us to really listen, and to know who the true Master is.