Joel Beeke tells a story of when he was in Scotland when he spoke to a shepherd who affirmed to him that sheep hear different voices, but only follow their own shepherd’s voice. Sheep will only follow the voice their shepherd, even though other shepherds are speaking. They will only follow his voice. Therefore, if Jesus has called you, He will be the central leadership force in your life. This desire to come to your shepherd is a mark of authenticity, and the evidence that you fear Him.

I was in Scotland and I came back from a preaching opportunity and I went to the pastor's house and in his lawn there were sheep from all different shepherds and each sheep had a painted color, a mark about four inches square on his shoulder. Some were brown, some were blue. And so I said to the pastor, I said, is it really true that the shepherds will come and call their sheep and that the one who owns all the brown sheep, brown marked sheep, that they'll run to him right away when he calls and no one else will move. I said you know what it's really true The sheep wanting to lift up their head if it's not the voice of their Shepherd Every single sheep that belongs to that Shepherd will follow that that Shepherd and that's a perfect illustration you see of if Jesus Christ is your shepherd and He calls you, you will follow Him. You will follow His voice.

And as you follow His voice, that will be evident in good works, and Those good works will put a stamp of authenticity upon your life. It is God's work in you and it is true. And that in turn will impact other people as they say, wow, I'm missing what that person has.