Most of us are used to being the ones who carry the weight, fix the problems, and take the lead when needed. But the Bible makes it pretty clear: before we lead others well, we should probably be following God ourselves. In John 10:3–5, Jesus is the Shepherd who knows you, calls you by name, and leads you where you need to go. So, whose voice are you trusting right now?

#1 He calls His own sheep by name (v. 3). In Jesus’ day, different flocks could stay in the same fold, but each shepherd still knew exactly which sheep were his. That’s the picture here: personal care. Not disconnected, connected.

He knows your fears, what exhausts you, and that weight you’re carrying right now. “His own” means you belong to Him. “By name” means He knows you deeply. You don’t have to earn His attention; you already have it.

#2 He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him (v. 4). Shepherds during this time were known to lead from the front—not by driving sheep from behind. The sheep followed because they knew the shepherd’s voice.

“Know” assumes familiarity, not just hearing a random sound. There are a lot of “sounds” in the world: pride, comparison, success, comfort, that dang phone buzzing. I haven’t even mentioned email or text yet. But Jesus says, “Follow Me.” If you don’t know His voice, some other voice will shape how you lead at home.

#3 A stranger they will not follow (v. 5). The sheep are safe because of the shepherd. The sheep still have to go through all kinds of stuff—bad weather, difficult paths, you get the idea—but they stay alive by being near the Shepherd. He goes before us.

Your leadership starts with following the Shepherd. Sometimes, following God looks clean and put together. Most days, it looks like apologizing first, being prayed up before speaking in that meeting, and not losing your mind over slow Wi-Fi. If you live like this, if your kids see this in your home, it’ll be remarkable, because they won’t see it in the world.

The Father’s Role Beyond Provision: For us dads, it’s easy to go into “provider mode,” and focus on keeping the lights on and making sure the bottomless pits (aka hungry kids) have enough to eat. But God calls dads to provide more than an income.

The Weight Dads Carry (and How to Finally Let It Go) with Jeff Zaugg: Lawson and I sat down with Jeff Zaugg this week, and we got honest about something a lot of dads carry but rarely say out loud: the feeling that you are still trying to prove yourself. If that resonates, this one is worth your time.

Craig Groeshel: “God’s will is rarely easy, but it’s always good.”

A.W. Tozer: “God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves.”

G.K. Chesterton: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

You’re hearing voices all day: “Be more successful.” “Be tougher.” “Be entertained.” “You deserve [xyz].” Jesus simply says, “Follow Me.”

Read John 10:3–5 slowly, then ask God: “What voice have I been following more than Yours?” Act on what He shows you in one simple way: apologize, offer encouragement to your child, turn off the noise, or pray before reacting. Don’t try to fix everything today. Just take the next right step. You lead best when you slow down long enough to hear the Shepherd and follow Him first.

Ask: What voice has been shaping the way I talk and lead at home?

Remember: You will lead your family best when you follow Jesus first. God says His sheep hear His voice, know His voice, and follow His voice.

Kent Evans
Author of Don’t Bench Yourself, co-founder of Manhood Journey

P.S. Was this Mountain Monday helpful? Tell me if you love it, hate it, or if there’s something you’d like in the next one.

Forward this to a dad you know who needs some encouragement.