Listen to today’s devo!

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 )

Expanded Passage: John 10:9-11

One of the first things you learn when playing competitive sports is that everyone on the sidelines has an opinion. I played soccer for four years in high school, and every game would bring parents and fans on both sides yelling, “Defense!” or “That was a foul!” every few minutes.

But the one voice the players listened to belonged to our coach. He knew the game well enough to tell us when to get aggressive and when to fight for a call. Most importantly, he had the whole game—the whole season, really—in mind. He wasn’t concerned with a single goal or a single offside call. He wasn’t concerned with a single player’s performance alone. He was attuned to the big picture: how the offensive and defensive systems were working together, and how focusing less on defense might actually open a shot on offense.

In life, countless voices bombard you, but really it’s only two voices: God’s and someone else’s. The thing is, only God’s perspective, only his voice, can lead you not only to a single goal, but also to a championship.

Jesus says that the championship is about more than a trophy, though. In the game of existence, God’s voice leads to life, and the other voices lead to death. Who are you listening to most—God or everyone watching on the sidelines?

Listen to the voices in your life that lead you toward God.

Lindsey Priest is an Indiana Wesleyan University graduate. She likes to read to her kids, play video games with her husband, and refurbish furniture.

© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.