Sheep are escape artists. If you’ve been around sheep for long, you quickly realize they’re not very intelligent, but they excel at getting loose from their pens and getting lost. It happens so often that shepherding is one of the oldest professions in recorded history. Unfortunately, one challenge with sheep getting loose is that they all look alike, and they can sometimes mix in with other groups or be found by someone unfamiliar with the owner of the sheep. This dilemma is the reason behind ear tags for livestock. They come in various shapes, sizes, colors, and numerical sequences, and some even include chips for locating and identifying lost sheep. Ultimately, the purpose of an ear tag is to indicate ownership.

We also are sheep, and at times get lost and need saving. It is no coincidence that sheep and shepherds hold such an important place in Biblical symbolism. We might ask, how are we as sheep recognized? Thankfully, it is not through ear tags, but Jesus indicates three elements for how to identify His sheep in John 10:27.

First, Jesus said, “They hear my voice.” There is an indication of authority and intimacy in this statement. Jesus’ sheep hear his voice. Like a siren from an ambulance or the personalized chime of a cell phone, the sound of Jesus’ voice cuts through the noise and grabs our attention. Yet to be able to isolate a singular voice among a cacophony of noise, we must be intimately aware of their voice. Like a mother able to recognize the sound of her own child’s cry, even among a room of wailing infants, so we must truly know the voice of Jesus Christ. That type of intimacy comes from only one thing, consistent exposure. “Search the scriptures” (Acts 17:11), “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17), “and be ready” (Matt 24:44) so that when he speaks, you will hear.

Second, Jesus said, “I know them.” Being called one of Christ’s sheep signifies not only our recognition of Him as our shepherd but also His recognition of us. In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us that we will recognize wolves in sheep’s clothing “by their fruits” (Matt 7:16). Is it not reasonable, then, to expect to identify Christ’s flock by their actions? Furthermore, Romans 8:9 states, “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.“

Finally, Jesus said, “They follow me.” This is the simplest and most evident quality of sheep: they follow their shepherd. Who do you follow? Is it your heart? Is it the preacher? Is it your social media feed? Jesus said, “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38)