In the Gospel passage for the Foruth Sunday of Easter (John 10:1-10) it is written:

Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

The thief and robber, thinking themself clever, sneaks their way in. They side-step or going over or around the gate, and sometimes even appear to be the gatekeeper. However, Jesus says, though they may get in, they are still a thief and robber, and the sheep will not be fooled by them.

How do you invite the Lord, the Good Shepherd, to help you discern the differences between His voice and that of the stranger who robs and steals?

Take some time to contemplate a situation that might be weighing you down? What might there be that is being robbed or stolen from you when it comes to this? Pray to the Lord for insight and wisdom so that His voice can be stronger or more clear, having greater influence on you and your response to the situation.

In what ways does the Lord want you to have life more abundantly?

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. – Psalm 23:1