Literal sheep know the voice of their shepherd and follow him. On the other hand, they flee from a stranger whose voice they do not know. (Joh 10:5) Similarly, we listen to the voice of our loving and reliable spiritual Shepherds, Jehovah and Jesus. (Ps 23:1; Joh 10:11) But we reject the voice of strangers who try to weaken our faith by means of “counterfeit words.”—2Pe 2:1, 3.
Genesis chapter three describes the first time the voice of a stranger was heard on earth. Satan approached Eve in a misleading way that hid his true identity. Pretending to be her friend, he twisted Jehovah’s words and motives. Sadly, Eve listened, which led to untold suffering for herself and her family.
Today Satan tries to sow doubts about Jehovah and his organization by spreading negative reports, half-truths, and outright lies. When we hear the voice of a stranger, we should flee! Listening, even briefly out of curiosity, is dangerous. How many words did Satan need to mislead Eve during their brief conversation? (Ge 3:1, 4, 5) What, though, if someone we know—someone who loves us and has good intentions—wants to share negative information about Jehovah’s organization?
Play the VIDEOReject “the Voice of Strangers.” Then ask the audience:
What did you learn from the way that Jade handled the situation involving her unbelieving mother?