“The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” John 10:2-5 (NIV)
The proper response to Jesus’ call to all is to follow Him. As we follow Him - the Bible tells us - we will never walk in darkness but have the light of life. Also, the true believer cannot do without His Lord, His grace being sufficient to meet our every need. All we need for God-glorifying contentment is ours which may and often include times not of our choosing. In difficult circumstances, He desires for us to get stronger so that iron will enter our souls spiritually. He does not want us to remain like babes rather to grow up in Him Who is the Head. He desires champions from His children, great heroes not childlike behavior. God desires for the world to see manly courage and God’s marvelous deliverance – so that the world may know Him. God is “into” doing “pala” things – things “too hard” for man to do. And the One Who gives the power gets the glory, Amen?
God desires for His children to be guided by divine authority not merely by what is expedient. Follow the right (and the light) over the easy wrong. Even when we see no obvious advantage we are to walk by faith and not by sight. God will be no man’s debtor. If He does not pay you with the silver of earthly wealth, He will bless you abundantly with the gold of spiritual joy that is unearthly in its nature. We live our lives for an audience of One and no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NIV)