Who Do We Follow?

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 4:17 pm Post subject: Who Do We Follow?

Who Do We Follow?

Scripture:

But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them:

Therefore let all the house of Israel know most certainly that God has made both Lord and Christ, this same Jesus, whom you have crucified. Now when they had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles: What shall we do, men and brethren? But Peter said to them: Do penance: and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call. And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying: Save yourselves from this perverse generation. They therefore that received his word were baptized: and there were added in that day about three thousand souls.
(Acts 2:14a, 36-41)

But if doing well you suffer patiently: this is thank worthy before God. For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, did not revile: when he suffered, he threatened not, but delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly. Who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed. For you were as sheep going astray: but you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls. (1 Peter 2:20B-25)

Amen, amen, I say to you: He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold but climbs up another way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter opens: and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he has let out his own sheep, he goes before them: and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. But a stranger they follow not, but fly from him, because they know not the voice of strangers. This proverb Jesus spoke to them. But they understood not what he spoke. Jesus therefore said to them again: Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All others, as many as have come, are thieves and robbers: and the sheep heard them not. I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved: and he shall go in and go out, and shall find pastures. The thief comes not, but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they may have life and may have it more abundantly.
(John 10:1-10)

Reflection:

There are times we simply do because others are doing. We follow the fad of the day because it appears fun or perhaps, by doing, we perceive acceptance by those around us. We do things to address needs or for enjoyment. We do things to earn our living. We do things without always knowing why, but when our choices are based on fads, our choices become based on that which also fades away.

Sometimes we do things because society appears to demand it. Sometimes, we are encouraged to comply. At other times, we are forced to comply. As fads sweep through rules of the day, we must be on guard with our every action, our every word, so we do not run afoul of the rule of the day. All these things we do, we often do not know why other than that we perceive some benefit or we seek to avoid a perceived harm.

Sometimes our choices are made from rules made up for us. We may never read the rule, but others will make their perception of such rules known and demand our compliance. Sometimes the rules are unwritten, but others will expect we know them. At other times, they are carefully written and judges stand prepared to impose the sanctions for violation.

Sometimes the rules are just and necessary, even though we may not fully comprehend their purpose and function. Who can build a house which shall withstand all buffets if they do not follow the correct rules of construction? Doing whatever which is pleasing to the eye may yield a masterpiece for the moment, only to yield a pile of rubble at the first breeze if the right materials and fasteners are not used in conjunction with consideration of geometry and physical forces. Such determination may come from trial and error or some other form of testing. Sometimes the discovery simply comes from experience; this worked, but this, not so much.

But what if the experience yields the wrong perception as to the direction or method to apply to produce a needed solution or to satisfy a desire? What if the experience yields a choice which is sufficient for the moment, but carries undesirable consequences which may grow and magnify through the progression of time? If we recognize the wrong direction in time, we can adjust what we do, but if we do not have a means to assess possible outcomes, our adjustments may turn us towards an even worse direction, for change requires adjustment, but not all adjustments yield what is truly good or beneficial across the test of time.

With our limited knowledge and experience, we adjust to our environment; like the blind men feeling the different parts of the elephant, we endeavor to determine our path. Sometimes we look to another to help us in our decisions, for they profess experience they tell us we need not learn on our own. Indeed, they may present evidence of mistakes past from which we might learn and should learn, but not all who profess knowledge have truly learned its proper use. Not all who profess they have evidence have the full evidence required for comprehension in context. The result is confusion and many false paths.

To whom, then, can we turn to find the right route? How are we to evaluate the road ahead of us, for even a well paved road, without a bridge, will not get us to the other side of the deep divide. How we choose to proceed begins with the building blocks of what we know, but we cannot know everything and our short time on the earth is not enough to gather in our minds the full comprehension of all the secrets of our Heavenly Father's creation. Perhaps, then, we should turn to the Creator to be our guide, for He is the One who has set the bridge and placed the path to His kingdom.

What will He reveal to us? What can He reveal if we turn ourselves away from Him? What can we perceive and comprehend if we allow the world to distract us from His light, silent sound? (cf. 1 Kings 19:12) How can we follow Him if we do not seek His voice? What can He reveal to us if we hear His voice, yet harden our hearts? (cf. Psalm 95:8, Proverbs 28:14, Hebrews 3:7-19)

Let us, then, listen in prayer for His light, silent sound. Let us heed what He speaks to us through His angels, His prophets, His only begotten Son and the Holy Spirit He sends to remind us of all truth. (cf. John 14:15-17, 15:26, 1 John 5:6) His desire is to teach us the blessings of love. It is the voice by which He reaches out to us. It is the voice by which He seeks to lead us. Let us listen carefully and learn to discern, so that the lips of deceit and soothing sounds of deception do not draw us to the wolves.

Questions for further reflection:

To whom do we turn to guide us in our choices and the direction of our life?

Whose example do we follow as we discern what is right and just?

What will tell us that the voice which we hear is the right One to follow?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier