As I watch people become scared, confused, misunderstood, divided, and disconnected, I’m seeing the world and Christian organizations become captivated by categorizing people. The more systems the world develops to define us, the more we become defined by our colors, our numbers, our differences, and our labels. What’s actually being communicated is the message that if we just understand our voice or our type, then we can know our selves, grow ourselves, and get along better with each other.
In my work setting, our leadership teams have a new Giant system where we’re studying the five voices. By taking a test, I can discover that I’m a creative connector who nurtures people and pioneers new ways to help people to get better. The problem with all of our new systems of categorizing colors, numbers, and labels is that we are developing new systems of understanding and communicating that are void of God. They’re new gods.
We’re not developing ways to discover and to discern who we are in Christ. We aren’t prayerfully exploring God’s Word to discover the truth about who God says we are. We aren’t learning how to listen and hear the voice of God. We are just becoming fascinated with our voice and human understanding. Then we put a good spiritual label on humanism.
The truth is that I only find out who I am and what I’m made for by listening to God’s voice. He’s my Creator and Designer who engineers my life. As I learn to listen to the voice of the Lord and to discern His ways, the Holy Spirit guides and directs me, and He connects me with people and organizations in order to make disciples of Jesus and to advance His Kingdom.
As we learn to listen, hear, discern, and obey God’s voice, the Holy Spirit uses all of our experiences, learning, talents, resources, and relational connections to do more than we could ever dream or imagine. In fact, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father listening and interceding for God’s will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven. We only find our identity, worth, peace, and purpose from God. The closer we get to our Creator and listen to His voice, the more we will understand ourselves, the people around us, and how we are designed to work together to do God’s will.
Unfortunately, our communicators are missing the Voice that call us to prayer, repentance, childlike faith, and obedience. We’re way too eager to use our voice to speak our minds, our frustrations, and our plans to better the world, without listening to God’s voice.
If we want to become more like Christ, we’ll slip away from all of the people who tell us who we are and what we have to do next. We’ll find quiet places where God quiets us with His love, places where we learn to be still and rediscover that He is God and we are His people—the sheep of His pasture, crafted by His Hands. Hearing God’s voice changes everything! His sobering message to you this day is “You are mine!” Detox from the world’s lies and distorted messages by spending some time with God and His Word. When His voice and words become what you speak, then you have something powerful to say to the world. May the Lord speak to and through you this day! Represent Him well, my friends. Full of life, love, grace, and truth.